Naihati, : Trailing two goals, Sudeva Delhi FC managed to salvage a point against Real Kashmir FC after a thrilling 2-2 I-League 2021-22 draw here on Tuesday.
A first-half brace from Tiago Adan gave Real Kashmir a lead to carry into half-time, but an inspired second-half comeback saw Sudeva Delhi take a match point thanks to goals from Sreyas VG and Seithenlang Lotjem.
Real Kashmir got off to a fantastic start by taking the lead through Brazilian leader Tiago Adan as early as the 2nd minute. With the ball in his possession on the edge of the Sudeva Delhi box, Pratesh Shirodkar was prepared to shoot early but he ended up playing a delightfully weighted clipped pass to Tiago Adan.
Adam made a clever run into the space behind the Sudeva Delhi defense and calmly placed the ball into the far corner with his first touch.
Goalkeeper Sachin Jha touched the ball, but it was not enough to prevent his team from falling behind in the first exchanges.
The capital team recovered steadily despite the early setback, seeing a lot of the ball in the opposition field, although without a clear look at the goal.
Sudeva Delhi had another scare in the 23rd minute when Tiago Adan’s poor cross from the left bounced off the woodwork and tricked Sachin Jha into goal.
If his previous goal left room for interpretation, this time there was no doubting Tiago Adan, as the Brazilian scored his second goal of the match in the 39th minute. After his initial pass was blocked, the ball bounced into the path of Adan, who produced an instinctive snap shot from 20 yards out past Sachin Jha and nestled beautifully inside the far post.
However, coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo freshened things up for the second half, making a series of personnel changes to find a way to get back into the game.
The renewed vigor paid off in the 51st minute when substitute Sreyas scored a goal for Sudeva Delhi FC.
Play continued in the same pattern in the second half, with Sudeva Delhi keeping plenty of ball possession and the Snow Leopards defending resolutely to keep their slim lead intact.
As the match whittled down to the final minutes, Sudeva Delhi’s perseverance earned them a deserved equalizer in the 91st minute. With a set piece opportunity, Abhijit Sarkar delivered a flat, bent cross to the front post, which was headed into the second post with a cleverly taken header by Seithenlang Lotjem.
The two substitutes combined to snatch a late equalizer from Sudeva Delhi and end the match with nothing to separate the two teams.