Football was back with a bang at JRD Tata Sports Complex as Jamshedpur FC kicked-off their first pre-season match in a dramatic draw with Real Kashmir which saw six goals spilt equally. The final score 3-3 was a thriller for over 12,000 fans that attended the match.
It was end-to-end from kick-off as both teams used pace and strength in attack to break the dead-lock. Ultimately it was Real Kashmir that scrambled through to score the first goal via Kallum Higginbottom.
Jamshedpur FC responded instantly with a flurry of attacks and pressured the Real Kashmir defence throughout the remainder of the first half. The pressure paid dividends when the hosts won a free-kick in a dangerous area and Piti, who had been a menace for the opposition the entire time he was on the pitch, converted with panache to bring the scores level.
The first half ended frantically as Real Kashmir regained the lead after taking advantage of a mis-judged pass with Krizo converting with ease and later Jamshedpur FC won a penalty, which was saved and scored from the rebound by Sergio Castel in the last minute of the first half.
The second half saw nine changes being made by Antonio Iriondo and later two more as the Mister gave playing time to all players available to play.
The crowd cheered each and every moment Jamshedpur FC had the ball and won back the ball as both teams searched for a winner. The goal finally came in the 89th minute when Robin lobbed a beautiful cross from the right flank, dummied by CK Vineeth towards Noe Acosta, who did not make any mistake in converting.
The celebration was short-lived as Real Kashmir scrambled another goal in to bring scores level with the last kick of the game via Chester to make the full-time score 3-3.
After the match, Jamshedpur FC Head Coach Antonio Iriondo analysed his team’s performance as he said, “I am very happy with the work we have put in after training only a few days. I think the team took control of the game, although we have had some mistakes of our own. We are a team that is starting new and played against a team that has been training and playing for almost two months.”
Local lad, Mobashir Rahman was ecstatic to be back at the Furnace as he said, “It’s been months since we played here the last time. It wasn’t the result we were looking for, but the love of the fans was impeccable, and I hope to see them in such numbers for the coming matches too.”
Jamshedpur FC Starting XI: Subrata Paul (GK) (Captain); Karan Amin, Joyner Lourenco, Memo Moura, Umesh Perambara; Aniket Jadhav, Mobashir, Piti, Farukh Choudhary; Sumeet Passi, Sergio Castel
Subsititutes that came on in the second half: Rafique Ali Sardar (GK), Robin Gurung, Augustin Fernandes, Tiri, Billu Teli, Isaac Vanmalsawma, March Starfield, Aitor Monroy, Noe Acosta, Bikash Jairu, CK Vineeth
At Full time
Jamshedpur 3
42' Piti, 45+3' Castel, 89' Noe Acosta
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Real Kashmir 3
25' Kallum, 44' Krizo, 90' Chester
