Real Kashmir jumped to third in the I-League points table with a thumping 6-1 win over Shillong Lajong at the TRC Turf Ground in Srinagar on Tuesday.
Ghanian striker Abednego Tetteh scored a brace while first-half goals from Mason Robertson and Nagen Tamang and two more strikes from Gnohere Krizo and Surchandra Singh in the second half secured the victory for Kashmir. Samuel Kynshi netted the only consolation goal for Lajong.
The victory helped Kashmir climb to third in the table following their third straight win at home keeping them on 13 points from seven matches, while Lajong after seven winless games – six of which have resulted in defeats – are struggling in the relegation zone in the 10th position with four from eight.
Kashmir started well and scored thrice in the opening 45 minutes with Abednego Tetteh breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute when Krizo set him up with a lovely ball.
But against the run of play, Lajong surprisingly pulled themselves back into the game when Kynshi found the net three minutes later after a poor clearance from Kashmir goalkeeper Bilal Khan hit his body before running into the net.
The 1-1 scoreline, however, suggested little of what was unfolding in the pitch where Kashmir almost scored every time they surged forward.
Mason Robertson headed home a Surchandra free-kick in the 37th minute while Tamang slotted the ball into the net when a Tetteh through ball split through the Lajong defence to find the left winger clear on goal.
Five minutes after the break Krizo made it 4-1 scoring from the spot after Aibanbha Dohling had pulled him down inside the box.
Then in the 75th minute, Surchandra took full advantage of a goal-mouth melee before Tetteh headed Shahnawaz Bashir’s cross into the net to complete the resounding win.
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