Manjeri, March 14 (NationPress) A decisive second-half goal from Fabrice Kah propelled Sreenidi Deccan FC to a 1-0 victory against Gokulam Kerala FC in Match 14 of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 at Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri on Saturday. With this win, Sreenidi Deccan temporarily ascended to the top of the league table, accumulating six points from three games, while Gokulam Kerala found themselves languishing in 10th place with just two points after three matches.

Dimitris Dimitriou, taking charge as head coach for Gokulam Kerala FC for the first time, made two adjustments to the starting lineup, introducing midfielder Kingslee Fernandes and striker John Kennedy to replace Aman C.K. and Mirjalol Kasimov.

On the other hand, Carlos Vaz Pinto implemented three changes in his squad, with goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh stepping in for Aryan Lamba, defender Deepak D.P. replacing Muhammad Hammad, and Ajay Chhetri starting in midfield instead of Lalthankhuma.

The first half was characterized by a battle for midfield dominance, with both teams struggling to carve out significant scoring chances. The period was tightly contested, as both sides exhibited solid defensive setups, resulting in a scarcity of open-play opportunities.

Set-pieces seemed to be the most promising method for either team to find the back of the net. Both David Castañeda and Hadi Idrissou of the visiting team missed free headers from corner situations, while the Malabarians also came close to scoring from similar set-piece scenarios.

As the second half commenced, the visitors displayed a more aggressive approach in the attacking zone, leading to the game's only goal just nine minutes after the restart. Castañeda received the ball at the edge of the penalty area but was impeded by Amid Arezou. The Colombian skillfully rolled the ball across the six-yard box, catching the defenders off guard, allowing Fabrice Kah to react swiftly and push it into the net.

Shortly after, Abhijith K. could have extended the lead but failed to convert a left-footed shot from within the box after being set up by Lalromawia. Substitute Brandon Vanlalremdika had earlier executed a clever dummy that set up the chance.

On the flip side, the Malabarians struggled to penetrate the Sreenidi defense, with Kamaljit largely unchallenged in goal as the home team failed to generate quality scoring opportunities as the clock wound down.

Ultimately, Sreenidi Deccan managed to maintain their slender advantage, clinching their second victory of the season.