Hyderabad, March 4: Real Kashmir FC consigned 10-man Sreenidi Deccan FC to their third home defeat while etching a hard-fought 3-2 win in an I-League match here on Monday. Sreenidi Deccan FC saw defender Sajid Dhot sent off for two bookable offences as they lost more ground in the I-League title race.
The earlier match between Deccan and Real Kashmir had ended in a 0-0 draw and the first-half on Monday showed signs of that result being repeated as stoppages and injuries took momentum out of the game. But the Snow Leopards struck late as forward Gnohere Krizo overpowered Dhot inside the penalty area and bundled the ball into the back of the net to give his side a 1-0 lead.
Deccan came back firing on all cylinders in the second half as winger Rilwan Hassan helped them overturn the deficit with a 58th minute goal.
He equalised with a tap-in after Lalnuntluanga squared the ball to him inside the box and three minutes later, crossed the ball in for defender Eli Sabia to head home and give Deccan a 2-1 lead.
It seemed Deccan would hold on for three points but Dhot’s sending off in the 86th minute changed the whole complexion of the game. From the resulting free-kick, Tariq Mir caught goalkeeper Albino Gomes off guard and the ball flew into the back of the net from 40 yards.
As the game went into the stoppage time, Sabia was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box and Krizo converted the spot kick to win it for Real Kashmir.
Deccan remain on 33 points from 17 matches but Real Kashmir have climbed above them to second in the I-League points table with the same points but on better head-to-head record. (PTI)
