I-League: Sreenidi Deccan stun Gokulam Kerala 3-1
Naihati: There was no shortage of drama at the Naihati Stadium as Sreenidi Deccan shocked I-League leaders Gokulam Kerala 3-1 here on Tuesday. The Malabarians needed a point to clinch the title but a stunning first half hat-trick by Lalromawia was enough to hand the defending champions their first loss of the season, right before […]
Naihati: There was no shortage of drama at the Naihati Stadium as Sreenidi Deccan shocked I-League leaders Gokulam Kerala 3-1 here on Tuesday.
The Malabarians needed a point to clinch the title but a stunning first half hat-trick by Lalromawia was enough to hand the defending champions their first loss of the season, right before their title-deciding clash with Mohammedan SC. In the first 15 minutes of the game, Sreenidi Deccan had 84 per cent ball possession. Inching closer, a brilliant curling freekick from Lal Chungnunga rattled the crossbar, as the rain came pouring down at Naihati.
Twenty minutes in, the pressure paid off for Sreenidi as Lalromawia, with a free header, nodded the ball past Rakshit Dagar to give his side a surprise lead.
Minutes later, the ball was in the Sreenidi Deccan net as it seemed like the Malabarians had pulled themselves level courtesy of Bouba Aminou but the celebration was cut short as the linesman had his flag up for offside as tensions rose in the Gokulam camp.
Quick feet inside the Gokulam box from Louis Ogana helped the Nigerian put it on a plate for Lalromawia. The midfielder beat Dagar to the ball and slotted home Sreenidi’s second of the evening, sending waves of jubilation through the Mohammedan SC supporters in the stadium.
Three minutes after the goal, things went from bad to worse for Gokulam as Lalromawia secured a stunning first half hat-trick. Vanlalbiaa Chhangte was the provider from the right flank as a soft header from Lalromawia beat Dagar for the third time, bounced off the inside of the far-post and landed inside the goal, putting Sreenidi Deccan in complete charge of the game. Sreenidi finished the first with 79% possession as Gokulam had just one shot on target.
As expected, Gokulam came out all guns blazing in the second half as Jourdaine Fletcher was brought down by Chungnunga and won a freekick in a good position. Gokulam skipper Sharif Mohammad unleashed a venomous strike from the set-piece and beat Aryan Lamba to pull one back.
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