Namdhari Sports Club secured its first win of the Indian Football League 2025-26 season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Real Kashmir FC at the TRC Stadium on Wednesday.
The breakthrough came in the second half when Seilenthang Lotjem struck the decisive goal just after the hour mark. Substitute Manbir Singh delivered a precise cross to the far post, where Lotjem timed his run perfectly and calmly slotted home from close range. The goal proved enough to separate the two sides in a tightly contested encounter.
The result lifted Namdhari to sixth place with six points from five matches, while Real Kashmir remained ninth with just two points. Goalkeeper Niraj Kumar played a pivotal role in the win and was named Man of the Match after producing several crucial saves.
The first half saw both teams struggle to dominate midfield, with frequent turnovers disrupting the flow of play. Set-pieces offered the most threat, with Real Kashmir relying on long throw-ins and Namdhari focusing on deliveries from corners and free-kicks. The hosts came closest before the break when Ahteeb Ahmad Dar’s bicycle kick was cleared off the line by Karan Kumar Sharma after a goalmouth scramble.
Real Kashmir improved after the restart and nearly scored when Shedrack Charles struck the crossbar. However, despite sustained pressure following Lotjem’s goal, the home side could not find an equaliser, as Namdhari’s defence held firm under late pressure.
In another fixture, Sreenidi Deccan FC climbed to the top of the table with a convincing 3-1 win over Dempo SC at the Deccan Arena.
Sreenidi took early control when R Lalbiakliana opened the scoring from a tight angle following a deflected throw-in. The home side continued to dominate, and centre-back Hadi Idrissou doubled the lead in the 29th minute with a well-placed header from Lalromawia’s cross.
Despite goalkeeper Ashish Sibi’s multiple saves, Dempo struggled to contain Sreenidi’s attacking momentum. The visitors pulled one back in the second half through Richmond Kwasi Owusu, who headed home to make it 2-1 and briefly spark hopes of a comeback.
However, those hopes faded quickly. Even after Lalromawia was sent off for violent conduct in the 68th minute, Sreenidi responded immediately. Ajay Chhetri won possession in midfield and set up Fabrice Kah Nkwoh, who finished calmly to restore the two-goal advantage.
Dempo pushed forward in the closing stages but failed to break down a disciplined Sreenidi defence, as the hosts sealed an important win to go top of the standings with 10 points.
