Srinagar: Former champions Mohun Bagan rode on a second half Dipanda Dicka strike to eke out a close 1-0 win over debutants Real Kashmir FC and register their second win of the Hero I-League here on Tuesday.
The win takes the Mariners to second spot in the 12th Hero I-League standings with eight points from four games.
Real Kashmir, on the other hand, suffered their second defeat on the trot at home, keeping them on four points from a similar number of games and down to eighth place.
Both the coaches used the opportunity to give first starts of the season to a few players, arguably to test them out before it comes to the business end of the league.
David Robertson of Kashmir handed first starts to as many as three players, Khalid Qayoom and Abhash Thapa in midfield and defence in place of Farhan Ganie and Brian Mascarenhas as well as playing Nagen Tamang as an extra midfielder in place of defender Muhammad Hammad.
Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty opted for just one change, giving defender Dalraj Singh a start in place of Kim Kima.
The game began on a fast-paced, attacking note but in spite of a lot of energy and commitment shown by both the sides, there were no clear-cut chances created in the first 40 minutes of the game.
Bagan then got their first chance in the 43rd minute, when Danish Farooq brought Cameroonian Dicka down in a dangerous position outside the Kashmir box.
Ugandan Henry Kisseka’s effort from the set piece missed the goal by a whisker.
The second half witnessed a more frantic start and Kashmir, in particular, began with a lot more purpose.
In the 53rd minute, Bagan’s Sourav Das penetrated past three Kashmir players into the box but could not make much headway beyond that.
Then Dicka, in the 60th minute, saw a header go just wide after Abhishek Ambekar had put in a cross from the left flank.
The Cameroonian was not to be denied however and struck in the 70th minute to give Bagan full three points. (PTI)
