Srinagar, Oct 30: Nagaland United SC defeated Real Kashmir Football Club (RKFC) 3-1 in the opening match of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2026-27 season at TRC Ground, Srinagar, on Friday.
The match, which kicked off at 6:30 pm, was played under floodlights and witnessed a massive turnout, with thousands of football enthusiasts turning up despite the cold weather.
As per a statement, Minister for Youth Services and Sports Mir Saifullah, Secretary J&K Sports Council Tazayun Mukhtar and RKFC owner Arshad Nizam Shawl were among those present on the occasion.
Both teams started aggressively, but Nagaland United SC took an early lead by scoring the opening goal in the initial minutes of the match.
The visitors continued their attacking approach and doubled their lead before the half-time whistle, taking a comfortable 2-0 advantage into the break.
RKFC came back strongly in the second half and managed to reduce the deficit by scoring their first goal of the match.
However, Nagaland United SC responded quickly with another goal, restoring their two-goal cushion and making it 3-1.
Despite efforts by the home side to stage a comeback, Nagaland United SC maintained their lead until the final whistle to register a winning start to their IFL campaign.
RKFC will now play their second match of the season on November 7 at their home ground in Srinagar.
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