I-League: Gokulam Kerala beats Sreenidi Deccan FC to top group; NEROCA beats Kenkre

Bouba Aminou struck early before Jourdaine Fletcher fetched the second goal near the half-hour mark to set Gokulam Kerala FC on the winning path.

David Castaneda pulled one back for SDFC early in the second half but GKFC held on to the slender lead till the end to ensure the full quota of points.

Defending champion Gokulam Kerala FC (GKFC) made it to the top of the current standings by prevailing over newcomer Sreenidi Deccan FC (SDFC) 2-1, in a 10th round match of the I-League at Kalyani Stadium on Tuesday.

Bouba Aminou struck early before Jourdaine Fletcher fetched the second goal near the half-hour mark to set GKFC on the winning path.

David Castaneda pulled one back for SDFC early in the second half but the Calicut-based side held on to the slender lead till the end to ensure the full quota of points.

Gokulam Kerala tallied 21 points from nine matches to reach the top spot displacing the local side Mohammedan Sporting (on 19 points), which will be playing its ninth match on Wednesday.

In another match of the same round played in Naihati Stadium, Sweden Fernandes and Sergio Mendiguchia found the target for NEROCA FC which defeated Kenkre FC 2-1 to move to the fourth place. Ranjeet Singh Pandre found the only goal for Kenkre, which suffered its seventh defeat of the season.

The results: (At Kalyani) - Sreenidi Deccan FC 1 (David Castaneda 48) lost to Gokulam Kerala FC 2 (Bouba Aminou 4, Jourdaine Fletcher 31) (At Kalyani): Aizawl FC 1 (Lalthakima Ralte 25) lost to Tiddim Road Athletic Association 2 (Khanngam Horam 33, 42). (At Naihati) - NEROCA FC 2 (Sweden Fernandes 24, Sergio Mendigutxia 50) bt Kenkre FC 1 (Ranjeet Singh Pandre 45).