Srinagar: Former champions Gokulam Kerala FC earned a valuable point as they came back from a goal down to hold hosts Real Kashmir FC to a 1-1 draw in their I-League match here on Friday.
The hosts led by a goal at half-time, before Gokulam equalised late in the second half at the TRC football ground.
It didn’t take Real Kashmir too long to score the opener. With less than two minutes on the clock, the Snow Leopards won a throw in on the right flank.
A long throw from Mohammad Aqib was met perfectly by a rising Cameroonian Bouba Aminou whose glancing back-header gave the home side the lead.
Aminou was earlier with Gokulam for three seasons and won an I-League title with the Kerala side.
The first half was littered with chances for Real Kashmir to extend the lead, as they constantly miscued shots and headers.
Senegalese striker Karim Samb missed a few chances, including an open header from a corner and a one-on-one with the Gokulam goalkeeper.
Gokulam picked up the pieces in the second half and slowly started edging their way back into the game. While Real Kashmir remained dangerous via the aerial route, Gokulam passed it around slickly only to fail in the final third.
It was ironic then that it was an aerial ball that undid a tight Real Kashmir defence and drew the Malabarians level.
A free kick from the left went through an entire melee of Real Kashmir defenders before Athul Unnikrishnan poked it home at the far post in the 76th minute.
It was the first time in four I-League away trips that Gokulam Kerala managed to score a goal in Srinagar.
