I-League 2018-19: 5 Matches which will decide who will win the league
The I-League title race is one of the most intriguing things happening in Indian football right now. Chennai City FC are the runaway leaders, with 30 points from 13 matches. Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir are on the second and third spot respectively, with 25 points from 13 matches each. However, Chennai City FC have a match against both of them away from home and can come out second-best in both the cases.
East Bengal can also be counted in the chasing pack as they have 22 points from 12 matches. A victory over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the Kolkata Derby will put them back in the title hunt.
In the business end of the tournament, a club is expected not to drop points against teams who are out of contention and go all out against those who are in. Mark your calendars because these five matches will decide who will win the I-League 2018-19.
#5 Real Kashmir FC vs. Chennai City FC
Date: 28 January 2019, Monday
Time: 02:00 p.m.
Venue: TRC Ground, Srinagar
Where to Watch: Star Sports 3
One of the various reasons for Chennai City FC's inspiring top of the table run in the I-League is their ability to not lose matches. They have edged out their opponents by a slender one-goal margin seven times and rallied from behind to hold their opponents twice.
However, they could do neither of that against Real Kashmir FC in their previous meeting and succumbed to their first I-League defeat. Chennai City FC had a staggering 78% possession but Dharmaraj Ravanan and Loveday Enyinnaya's imposing figure in the back denied them a goal. Although the penalty awarded to the Real Kashmir FC was a controversial one, the fact that the closely contested encounter could have swung either way cannot be denied.
Monday, 02:00 p.m., might not be an ideal time for a football match from a fan's perspective. However, you shouldn't miss this one if you can find your way through.