I-League: Real Kashmir draws 2-2 with Indian Arrows

Real Kashmir FC maintained its unbeaten run as it managed to play out a 2-2 draw against Indian Arrows in an I-League fixture at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday.

Action during an I-League fixture between Indian Arrows and Real Kashmir.

Real Kashmir FC maintained its unbeaten run as it managed to play out a 2-2 draw against Indian Arrows in an I-League fixture at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday.

The match went goalless till the 75 minute, but suddenly four quick goals changed the script.

Indian Arrow’s Amarjit Singh (78th minute) found the target from the penalty spot before Kofi Tetteh (82nd) restored the parity for Real Kashmir from a well-taken corner by Vicky Meitei.

Mason Robertson (90th), who was lurking in for long, then earned the lead for the visitors only to lose it within 60 seconds when Rahul KP headed an Anwar Ali corner home.

Following the result, Real Kashmir FC took the second spot on the table with 33 points from 17 matches, while Indian Arrows reclaimed the seventh spot with 18 points from 19 matches.

The Srinagar-based team is still four points away from table-topper Chennai City (37) with just one match to go. Real Kashmir FC now faces East Bengal at home in its last outing.

Chennai, on the other hand, still has two matches to play -- one against Mohun Bagan and other against Churchill Brothers.

Real Kashmir will hope to receive full points from its match against defending champion Minerva Punjab, which had pulled out citing security concerns following the Pulwama terror attack which left 40 CRPF jawans dead.

Minerva had asked AIFF to postpone the game which the governing body refused, prompting the team to approach the High Court. AIFF has referred the matter to its I-League Committee and a decision on it is pending.

In the match, Arrows coach Floyd Pinto made as many as seven changes from their last game against Gokulam Kerala FC handing Boris, Narender, Suresh, Ninthoi, Akash and Rohit Danu another start in the ongoing I-League.

Moreover, he opted to bring Lovepreet Singh replacing Prabhsukhan Gill under the woodwork.

On the other hand, Real Kashmir coach David Robertson didn’t feel to tweak his strategies having fielded the same starting eleven.

The yellow outfit could have taken an early lead in the 19th minute through Danish Farooq but the 22-year-old attacker blew it over the crossbar.

Four minutes later, the visitor came very close to opening the scoreline once again from Surchandra’s corner. The corner landed deep in the penalty box and it was laid off to Bazie whose feeble touch was cleared off by Lovepreet comfortably.

Indian Arrows will clash with Mohun Bagan on February 28.