After a protracted seven-month wait, Inter Kashi was finally awarded the I-League 2024-25 trophy by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) at the GMC Athletic Stadium on Saturday. This long-awaited moment marked the official recognition of their championship title.
The celebration took place despite a 2-0 defeat in their final Super Cup fixture against Jamshedpur FC, where goals from Raphael Messi Bouli and Manvir Singh secured the win for Jamshedpur. Nonetheless, the Inter Kashi squad was jubilant, treating the Super Cup match as a mere formality in light of their I-League victory.
The path to this triumph was not straightforward. The controversy began in April when the AIFF initially stripped Kashi of their title, declaring Churchill Brothers as champions after a points deduction related to the registration of player Manuel Barco.
However, justice was served in July when the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the decision, officially recognizing Inter Kashi as the rightful I-League winners. This presented a unique challenge, as the AIFF had already presented the original trophy to Churchill, which has yet to be returned.
Consequently, a new, specially crafted trophy was commissioned for Inter Kashi. The presentation ceremony saw the Federation’s deputy secretary general, M. Satyanaranan, and Goa Football Association president, Caitano Fernandes, proudly hand over the medals to the deserving champions.
This marks Inter Kashi’s inaugural I-League title, a historic achievement that also secures their promotion and a coveted spot in the upcoming Indian Super League season.
Prithiijit Das, President of Inter Kashi, expressed the profound significance of the day, telling The Hindu, “For everybody in the club today, it’s probably the biggest day, even bigger than the day when we won the league, because it only shows, no matter what, in the end, truth prevails and the federation does what is right.”
Meanwhile, another Super Cup match, initially considered a ‘dead rubber’ between FC Goa and NorthEast United at the PJN Stadium in Margao, turned into an unexpected thriller. NorthEast United emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline after a captivating display of goals.
Chema Nunez broke the deadlock for NorthEast United, scoring from an Alaaeddine Ajaraie pass just after the hour mark. However, FC Goa quickly responded, with Sahil Tavora leveling the score within four minutes.
The decisive moment arrived in the 76th minute when Robin Yadav netted a header from an Andy Rodriguez cross, securing NorthEast United’s dramatic 2-1 win.
Match Summaries:
Inter Kashi 0 – Jamshedpur FC 2 (Goals: Messi Bouli 36′, Manvir 81′)
FC Goa 1 (Goal: Tavora 72′) – NorthEast United 2 (Goals: Nunez 68′, Robin 76′)