Durand Cup 2019 | Danish Farooq’s late winner separated Real Kashmir and Chennai City FC

Durand Cup 2019 | Danish Farooq’s late winner separated Real Kashmir and Chennai City FC

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Despite the chaos back home, Danish Farooq showed great composure and temperament to fire his side Real Kashmir to their first win in the historic Durand Cup at the Kalyani Stadium on Wednesday. The team from the valley would next be facing FC Goa on Thursday in their second Group C match.

Akbar Nawas’ Chennai City decided to play an all-Indian squad for the tournament and were at the mercy of fate after being reduced to 10 men with goalkeeper Kabir T getting a red card on the 76th minute. The custodian had a brain fade moment when he decided to charge out of the box to use his hands.

However, Chennai were still solid enough to hold off Kashmir despite numerical disadvantage before a concentration lapse at the 90th minute cost them the match. Danish was alive to the chance as a loose ball fell into his lap near the opponents' half-line and the striker gave substitute goalkeeper Prateek Singh no chance.

Kashmir had come closer earlier as after Kabir was shown the red card with former East Bengal winger Subash Singh coming agonizingly close to scoring from the free-kick. Barring that, Kashmir missed several chances clearly showing lack of practice time and mental stability with whatever has been going back at home.

Chennai City desperately craved their Spanish armada as their chances lacked sting deep in opponent’s half and failed time and again to catch Real Kashmir on quick counter-breaks. Chennai would be facing FC Goa after a week within which Real Kashmir and AGFT Bangalore would have played one match each.

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