Srinagar: There was bone-chilling cold. Then there was a Real Kashmir outfit used to such extreme conditions but Mohun Bagan still, making light of both, won their I-League match 2-0 here on Sunday.
After a barren first half, Joseba Beitia (71st minute) and Nongdamba Naorem (73rd) scored for the Kolkata giants in a span of two minutes, shattering the hopes of home fans.
It was a chilly morning, with the temperature dipping to 1 degree, but 11,500 Kashmiri spectators still enthusiastically watched the game against one of India’s biggest and oldest clubs. For tickets, they queued up since 9 o’clock in the morning, but quite a few of them still could not make it to the ground. Such was the craze.
The game started at 11.30 am at the TRC ground because of bitting cold, but the harsh weather conditions failed to stop the visitors from showing their skills.
The green and maroons had the lion’s share of possession and more shots on target but the home side had more attempts and five more corners in a game which could have gone either way. Mohun Bagan coach Kibu Vicuna started with newly-signed Senegalese striker Baba Diawara and brought in Dhanachandra Singh in the backline. Scotsman David Robertson, the RKFC coach, however, preferred the same starting XI that won against reigning champions Chennai City in the previous game.
The visitors were strong from the starting whistle and notched up as many as three corners in the space of first six minutes. Talented winger Nongdamba Naorem had his first chance of the game, in the 22nd minute, but his left-footer from inside the Kashmir box failed to cause any problem for goalkeeper Phurba Lachempa.
Both sides got chances to score but the first half remained goalless. In the second half, while Bagan continued to dominate, the home side had better scoring chances in the opening 20 minutes. Bazie had a shot on the turn from deep inside the Bagan box in the 49th minute but the effort sailed over the crossbar.Mohun Bagan have 10 points from five games, while Kashmir have five points from four games. (PTI)
