I-League 2024-25 wrap: Sreenidi Deccan opens account as Inter Kashi routs Delhi FC

Sreenidi Deccan FC bagged its first win of the season when it notched up a 2-1 win over Churchill Brothers in the I-League at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Inter Kashi is now the only team in the 2024-25 season of the I-League to have won its first two matches, and has thus taken a two-point lead at the top of the table. | Photo Credit: AIFF

Last year’s runner-up Sreenidi Deccan registered its first win of the 2024-25 I-League season as Inter Kashi continued to have a perfect start to its maiden campaign in India’s second-tier.

Here’s how the matches shaped up in the 2024-25 I-League on December 1:

Sreenidi Deccan beats Churchill Brothers at home

Sreenidi Deccan FC bagged its first win of the season when it notched up a 2-1 win over Churchill Brothers in the I-League at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Faysal Shayesteh opened the scoring for the Deccan Warriors with an inch-perfect free-kick in the 23rd minute, while Angel Orelien doubled the lead in the 72nd minute. The visitor managed a late consolation goal in the 91st minute through a volley from Gogou.

Going into the game, head coach Rui Amorim made five changes to his starting eleven, bringing in Faysal Shayesteh, David Castaneda, Ajay Chhetri, Lalchungnunga, and Brandon Vanlalremdika.

The visitor took control in the initial minutes of the game, but the Eli Sabia-led defence was at its best to keep the goal intact. The host had its first chance in the sixth minute through a corner but couldn’t threaten the opposition’s goal.

In the 22nd minute, Brandon initiated a counter-attack and, after controlling a reverse pass from David, was fouled just outside the opposition box. Captain Faysal stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and found the back of the net with a left-footed curler, giving the hosts a well-deserved lead.

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Both teams shared possession in the remaining minutes of the half. When the referee blew the whistle for halftime, Sreenidi Deccan FC led Churchill Brothers FC 1-0.

The second half began with both teams displaying attacking intent. The Deccan Warriors aimed to double their lead, while Churchill Brothers pushed for an equalizer. In the 72nd minute, David Castaneda intercepted a misplaced pass and fed the ball to an onrushing Angel Orelien, who calmly slid it past the keeper to make it 2-0.

Churchill Brothers then committed more players forward in search of a goal. Its efforts paid off in the first minute of the eight added minutes at the end of regulation time. Goalkeeper Ubaid CK cleared a corner, but the ball fell perfectly for Gogou, who connected sweetly to find the back of the net.

The remaining minutes saw brilliant defending from the host, and the game ended 2-1 in favour of Sreenidi Deccan FC, which secured its first three points of the season.

The Deccan Warriors will now host Rajasthan United FC on December 5 at the Deccan Arena.

Governor of Telangana, Sri Jishnu Dev Varma, along with the Chairman of the Sreenidhi Educational Group, Dr. K. T. Mahhe, and G. Palguna, member of the AIFF Executive Committee, graced the match.

Domingo Berlanga hat-trick shapes Inter Kashi’s second straight win

Inter Kashi stole an early march ahead of its challengers this season after securing a 5-1 demolition job against Delhi FC at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium.

Moroccan striker Domingo Berlanga (32’, 57’, 59’) ran circles around the Delhi FC defence, netting the first hat-trick of the season, while Edmund Lalrindika (62’) and Serbian Nikola Stojanovic (68’) added two more. Himanshu Jangra (71’) converted a penalty later on, but it did not make much of a difference to the eventual result.

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Inter Kashi is now the only team in the 2024-25 season of the I-League to have won its first two matches, and has thus taken a two-point lead at the top of the table.

It was Domingo’s doggedness that gave Inter Kashi the breakthrough around the half-hour mark. The Spaniard chased a stray clearance at full tilt, getting to the ball before Delhi’s last man Tondomba Singh Naorem, before he calmly jinked it past the keeper and rolled it into the goal.

Inter Kashi came out with clear intent in the second half, and its efforts soon paid dividends. First, Edmund’s cut-back was slammed home by Domingo to open the floodgates. Two minutes later, Joni Kauko fed the Spaniard at the top of the box, as Domingo rushed past his marker and scored his third of the night.

Edmund got his second goal in as many starts for Inter Kashi this season, after he placed a cut-back from Kauko into the net. Stojanovic added a fifth minutes later, scorching a left-footer into the top corner to make it five.