Mohun Bagan edge past Real Kashmir

Real Kashmir succumbed to their second defeat in a row as the Kolkata giants emerged victorious in Srinagar...

Mohun Bagan beat Real Kashmir 1-0 at the TRC Turf Ground in Srinagar courtesy of an Aser Dipanda goal (70') on Tuesday.

It was an end to end game for the most part of it but the Mariners clinched the important three points as their Cameroonian hitman made the best of the limited chances that he got in front of goal.

Real Kashmir head coach David Robertson made three changes to the side that lost 2-0 to NEROCA with Nagen Tamang, Khalid Qayoom and Abhash Thapa coming in place of Farhan Ganie, Brian Mascarenhas and Muhammad Hammad.

On the other hand, Sankar Lal Chakraborty decided to drop Lalchhawnkima and hand a start to Dalraj Singh who has been roped in from Peerless SC earlier this season.

Gnohere Krizo started troubling the travelling team right from the first whistle as he nutmegged debutant Dalraj to skip past him but a timely intervention from Shilton Paul averted danger on that occassion.

At the half-hour mark, Mohun Bagan were lucky to escape without conceding a penalty when Tamang was brought down inside the box by Abhishek Ambekar but the referee was in no mood to point to the spot.

The best chance of the half eventually fell for Bagan when Pintu Mahata produced a delicious through ball for Omar Elhusseiny who laid it off for Aser Dipanda. The striker tried to find his partner in crime Henry Kisekka with a low cross but Bilal Khan stuck out a hand at the nick of time to parry away the pass.

Real Kashmir got a glimpse of goal around the hour mark when Danish Farooq set up Bazie Armand inside the box but the Ivorian's effort went inches wide of the post.

But it was the century-old club from Kolkata who drew first blood in the 70th minute when Dipanda found the net for Bagan after he headed home a cross from Kisekka. The Ugandan was the architect as he outfoxed Mason Robertson and placed his cross in between Loveday Okechukwu and Mascarenhas to find an unmarked Dipanda who made no mistake to find the net from close range.

Five minutes later Bagan could have doubled their lead but Kisekka found him bamboozled between Robertson and Bilal which prevented him from taking a shot at goal after latching onto a pass from Dipanda.

Kashmir's gaffer threw in all his attacking aces in the likes of Farhan Ganie and Nadong Bhutia in search of the equaliser but Bagan's defence held their fort for the remainder of the game.

After two back-to-back losses at home the snow leopards will start their journey on the road as they next take on Indian Arrows on November 25 while Mohun Bagan will host Churchill Brothers at home later on the same day.