Kalyani, Nov 24 (IANS): Mohammad Asrar Rehbar, Gnohere Krizo, Jeremy Laldinpuia and Mohammad Maksoud scored a goal each as Real Kashmir FC returned to winning ways in the 2023-24 I-League, handing NAROCA FC a comprehensive 4-0 defeat on Thursday.

The win helped Real Kashmir move to fifth place in the table. They have nine points from five games, including three wins and two losses. NEROCA FC are in the 10th spot with four points from six matches with one win, one draw and four losses.

The last time Real Kashmir had won a match was back on November 4 against TRAU FC. They went on to suffer defeats against Churchill Brothers and Namdhari FC in their next two games before they bounced back against NEROCA in style.

Real Kashmir didn’t let the defeats in their last two games unsettle them. Instead, they looked like a motivated unit right from the start. They began with a positive intent and their attacking approach paid rich dividends when they took the lead in the 11th minute. Syrian defender Shaher Shaheen played a long ball from deep towards Gnohere Krizo. The Ivory Coast forward laid it off for Mohammad Asrar Rehber with a nice header. Rehber, who made a fine run into the box, easily went past his marker and slotted the ball home.

Real Kashmir extended their lead eight minutes later. This time, the roles were reversed as Rehber provided the assist to a fine Krizo goal. Using his pace, Rehber made a darting run on the right flank before delivering a low cross into the NEROCA box. Krizo, like a poacher on the prowl, found space behind NEROCA defenders Waikhom Rohit Meetei and Ronaldo Nongthombam and connected sweetly with the ball with his left foot to score Real Kashmir’s second goal.

Stung by the two reverses within 20 minutes, NEROCA tried to regroup and find answers to Real Kashmir’s aggressive brand of football. They tried to build their moves by playing a string of passes but could never really threaten the opposition. Real Kashmir, on the other hand, dominated the proceedings by winning the battles in the midfield.

Real Kashmir scored their third goal in the 64th minute and Krizo was again in the thick of the action.

NEROCA were caught in possession as Real Kashmir players snatched the ball away from them. They moved the ball around quickly to swiftly build a move before Krizo released Jeremy Laldinpuia with a beautifully weighted pass.

Laldinpuia didn’t make a mistake as he found the back of the net. Maksod piled on NEROCA’s misery in the dying minutes by scoring a fourth goal for Real Kashmir.