Bengaluru: Karnataka Super Division champions Kickstart FC posted their first win of the I-League 3 season as the Bengaluru-based outfit walloped Hyderabad’s R T Boys FC 5-1 in a Group D match at Duler Football Stadium in Mapusa, Goa on Thursday.
Goals from N Rakesh Singh (37th minute), Nikhil Raj M K (53rd), Vishnu T M (66th), Sweden Fernandes (78th), Paotinmang Tuboi (90+3rd) brought Kickstart’s campaign back on the track after losing their opening group match from a winning position.
With just the group winners and one runner-up out of five groups progressing to the next stage, Kickstart must continue their winning run with Pune’s GOG FCC up next on Saturday.
GOG, who were in action in the second Group D match on the day, also posted their first win of the season as the Punekar defeated Rajasthan’s Zinc FA 2-0. The victory was sealed through two second half goals by Rahul Rawat (73rd) and Sumit Rajendrasingh Bhandari (90+3rd).
Earlier on Tuesday, Kickstart’s I-League 3 campaign started on a losing note as they surrendered an early lead to go 1-2 down to an injury-time goal to Goan side Salgaocar.
Isac Zomuanpuia completed the turnaround for the hosts in the 90+3rd minute after Reezvon Fernandes restored parity in the 71st minute.
The opening goal for Kickstart came as early as the sixth minute with Vijay T finding the net.
Salgaocar currently heads Group D with six points, followed by GOG (4 pts) and Kickstart (3).
Result: Kickstart FC: 5 (N Rakesh Singh 37th, Nikhil Raj M K 53rd, Vishnu T M 66th, Sweden Fernandes 78th, Paotinmang Tuboi 90+3rd) bt RT Boys: 1 (Rishi Chaudhary 89th).