Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 6: In a high temperament football game, the match between Real Kashmir FC and Churchill brothers held at Srinagar’s Synthetic Turf football ground at TRC today ended up in a draw.
Despite, both the teams failing to score a goal, football lovers in Kashmir had lots to cheer about as the Valley hosted its first ever I-League game and hundreds of fans turned up to root for the local team -Real Kashmir FC.
It is for the first time a local football club from Kashmir had qualified for the I-League and all the home matches of the club are being played in the state.
As clouds made way for the sun after four days of overcast weather, the fans descended on the valley’s lone football stadium the Astroturf TRC ground here in the summer capital of the state.
The opportunity to watch top-level football players along with the enthusiasm to support the home team drew people from the city and other districts of the valley to witness the game.
While the crowd welcomed both the teams with a loud applause, the stadium reverberated with slogans favoring the home team. Young and old alike cheered for them and enjoyed every bit of the game. “We are very excited for this match as it is for the first time that a match of such a prestigious league is being played here and moreover, it is our own team which is playing,” Soban Ahmad, a football enthusiast, said, adding, “We are getting a chance to see quality football with players from across the country and even abroad,” he added.
Another spectator, Faizan Bahir said that such matches would build interest in football and would go a long way in popularising the game. “The youth in Kashmir is generally fond of football, but games like this will attract more of them to the sport and I am sure many of them will now think about it seriously,” Bhat said.
Real Kashmir FC Striker Danish Farooq who was declared man of the match also expressed hope that many youth would choose football as their future. “More youth will associate themselves with the game now. I think and I am hopeful that they will now see that there is future in football,” he said at the post-match press conference.
Farooq said it was a proud moment for the team to play at home.”We were very excited, but kept our focus though we did not put up a good result, we did well. It was a proud moment for all of us and we will not disappoint our fans the next time,” he said.
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