Jaipur, March 26 (IANS) Rajasthan United FC held Diamond Harbour FC to a 1-1 draw in Star Cement Indian Football League 2025-26 at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday. Jonathan Feranandes gave the home side the lead through a penalty, and R. Ramdinthara equalised for the visitors.

Diamond Harbour remained in second place in the table with 10 points, below Sreenidi Deccan FC, who also have the same tally. Rajasthan United remained in fifth place with eight points from five matches.

Rajasthan United head coach Vikrant Sharma made one forced change, with Pragyan Sundar Gogoi replacing the injured Pedro Astray. Meanwhile, Kibu Vicuña opted for two attacking changes, bringing Jobby Justin back into the lineup in place of R. Ramdinthara and giving a start to the experienced Girik Khosla in place of Mohit Mittal.

Both sides threatened early within the opening ten minutes. Jonathan Fernandes fired wide from the edge of the box for Rajasthan United, while at the other end, Luka Majcen failed to hit the target with a free header after being picked out by a pinpoint cross from Jobby Justin.

Chances were few and far between as both sides struggled to assert control in midfield, with set pieces once again proving to be the source of attacking opportunities in the tightly contested encounter. The closest either team came to breaking the deadlock was when Jobby drilled in a low cross from the right, which goalkeeper Bhabindra Malla Thakuri could only parry into a dangerous area. The loose ball fell to Antonio Moyano, who seemed certain to score, but a last-ditch tackle from Pragyan Gogoi denied him at the crucial moment.

The goalkeepers had little to do in the first half, as both sides remained solid in defence, heading into the break goalless.

The home side took the lead early in the second half from the penalty spot. Left back Robilal Mandi was beaten for pace by Thomyo Shimray and brought him down inside the box, conceding the spot-kick. Jonathan Fernandes stepped up and expertly converted past Dheeraj Singh.

Moments later, Abhishek Ambekar unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from outside the box that beat Dheeraj in goal, only to crash off the crossbar and bounce back into play. At the other end, Jobby Justin’s long throw was spilt by the goalkeeper, and Sunday Afolabi pounced on the loose ball, directing it towards goal, but P.P. Shafeel cleared the effort off the line to maintain the lead.

The home side were once again denied by the woodwork, as substitute Naoba Meitei’s long-range effort crashed against the crossbar and bounced back into play.

Diamond Harbour’s persistence paid off eight minutes from time as they found the equaliser. Moyano slipped a perfectly timed through ball into the path of Ramdinthara, and the substitute, who timed his run to perfection, dribbled into the box before finishing from a tight angle past the goalkeeper.

Gaining confidence from the equaliser, the visitors pushed for a winner in the closing stages and came agonisingly close on multiple occasions. Substitute Hugo Diaz, set up by Moyano, saw his left-footed effort crash against the crossbar and go out, and in stoppage time, Moyano’s shot was blocked by a defender before William Pauliankhum failed to direct his header on target for Rajasthan United on the other end.

In the end, both sides were content with a point each.

–IANS

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