Jaipur, March 16 (IANS) Rajasthan United FC and Real Kashmir will be looking to win their next match to improve their status at opposite ends of the standings in the Indian Football League 2025-26. Rajasthan United FC will take on Real Kashmir FC with the hope of climbing to the top in the standings, while the latter will hope to secure their first win in the IFL 2025-26 at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur.

Rajasthan United will be playing their second straight home match after securing their first win of the campaign in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Namdhari SA in the last round. The Jaipur-based outfit will temporarily move into the top spot with a win.

Relying on a possession-based attacking philosophy, Rajasthan will lean heavily on their in-form forwards. French striker Amadou Soukouna proved to be the ultimate difference-maker in their last outing, netting a 96th-minute stoppage-time winner.

Emphasising the magnitude of the encounter, assistant coach Vikas Rawat stated, “This game is very important for us because the three points can take us to the top of the table. We are working very hard to achieve that, but we also know Real Kashmir will come with great intensity as they are still looking for their first win.” Highlighting the importance of their home advantage, he added, “We expect a competitive match and hope the fans come in good numbers and support us as they did in the last game.”

Real Kashmir, under head coach Ishfaq Ahmed, the Snow Leopards arrive with their trademark resilience, physical style of play, and a reputation for being incredibly difficult to break down.

However, Real Kashmir will be desperate to close out matches after playing out a 2-2 draw against Aizawl FC, where they led twice but conceded a 91st-minute equaliser, leaving them ninth in the standings with two points.

“I am happy with the way the team has responded,” said Ishfaq. “Except for one game where we slightly faltered, the players have shown improvement with every match. The last game was much better in terms of performance and character, and we are confident that in this away fixture we can build on those positives, handle the tough conditions, and put in a strong performance to get a positive result.”

Defender Basit Ahmed Bhat, who also stepped into the starting lineup in the previous fixture, reflected on their progress. “Our preparation as a team has been very good, and with every match we are getting better and understanding each other more on the pitch,” he noted.

“The last game showed great character from the team, even though it was unfortunate to concede in extra time. We know that converting draws into wins is the next step for us, and we believe that if we maintain the same attitude, adapt to the conditions, and stay focused for the full ninety minutes, we can get the three points and move up the table,” he added.

Real Kashmir hold the advantage with four wins to Rajasthan United’s two, alongside one draw in both teams’ previous seven encounters. In the last fixture, Rajasthan had a resounding 4-0 victory over Real Kashmir. With crucial points on offer, Rajasthan United eye the top spot as Real Kashmir hunt for that elusive first win.

–IANS

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