Firdous Parray
Srinagar, Feb 18: Real Kashmir Football Club (RKFC) continued their unbeaten home run with a 1-0 victory over Namdhari FC in an I-League match at TRC Ground, Srinagar, on Tuesday.
With this win, the Snow Leopards moved to the second spot on the points table, securing 26 points from 15 matches.
RKFC’s resurgence, with five wins in their last seven games, has placed them firmly back in the title race after a mid-season slump.
The only goal of the match came in the seventh minute when Brazilian striker Paulo Cézar calmly converted a penalty. The opportunity arose after Karim Samb was fouled inside the box by Namdhari’s Joseph Gordon. Cézar sent goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh the wrong way, registering his sixth goal of the season and giving the hosts an early advantage.
RKFC nearly doubled their lead in the 20th minute when Karim Samb, set up by Asrar Rehber, rounded the Namdhari goalkeeper and seemed certain to score. However, former RKFC defender Lamine Moro produced a last-ditch sliding tackle, denying Samb a clear goal just a yard from the line.
The Snow Leopards continued to press forward, with Mohammad Inam looking dangerous in attack. Just before halftime, Inam dribbled past defenders and unleashed a powerful shot, but Jaspreet Singh parried it away. The rebound fell to Asrar Rehber, who set up Samb again, but his effort was blocked by Namdhari’s Harpreet Singh.
Namdhari FC, who had been ineffective in attack during the first half, relied heavily on their Brazilian forward, Cledson Carvalho da Silva, in the second period. In the 62nd minute, he attempted a lob over RKFC goalkeeper but misjudged the shot. Later, he dribbled past two defenders and took a shot from outside the box, only to be denied by RKFC captain Muhammad Hammad’s crucial block.
After the match, RKFC head coach Ishfaq Ahmad acknowledged the significance of the victory against a strong opponent. “Namdhari FC was second on the table, so this was an important win for us. The support from fans is amazing. Even children come with their parents, creating a great sporting atmosphere,” he said.
Club owner Arshid Shawl congratulated the team and reiterated RKFC’s commitment to promoting local talent. “Our goal is to nurture Kashmiri players so they can compete at top clubs in India and even abroad,” he said.
