Sreenidi Deccan edge Rajasthan United 1-0 in IFL season opener
Hyderabad: Sreenidi Deccan FC made a winning start to the Indian Football League 2026-27 season, edging past Rajasthan United 1-0 at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday.
Nishu Kumar scored the decisive goal for the Deccan Warriors in the 66th minute to help the team start the season with three points.
The first clear-cut chance fell to the visitors when Adriano Castanheira found Jerry Mawihmingthanga in space inside the penalty area. However, Jerry failed to hit the target, sending his effort well over the crossbar. Rajasthan continued to use the wings to good effect and won several corner kicks, but Karanjit Singh in goal was not troubled.
David Castañeda, in his sixth season with Sreenidi Deccan, came close to breaking the deadlock just before the drinks break, striking the crossbar. The Colombian continued his run into the box after releasing Jerry Mawihmingthanga down the right wing. The winger returned the favour with a perfectly weighted low cross, but the striker could only direct his effort against the crossbar.
Rajasthan United made a bright start to the second half, with P. Christopher Kamei rattling the crossbar with a fierce left-footed strike from outside the box. Moments later, Foday Trawally also came close to scoring, but his right-footed effort from the edge of the area narrowly missed the target. In the next move, the Gambian midfielder combined well with Maurício and Ricky Vanlalhriatsanga in some fine one-touch football. Ricky then dribbled past two defenders and took a left-footed shot that sailed over the crossbar.
Sreenidi Deccan weathered the pressure and regained control of the game before taking the lead shortly after the hour mark with a well-worked move. Lalromawia found space on the right wing and played the ball to Adriano Castanheira at the edge of the box. The Portuguese midfielder then laid it off to David Castañeda, who threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the path of the overlapping Nishu Kumar. The experienced full-back kept his composure and curled a fine finish into the far corner to put the Deccan Warriors ahead.
Diego Maurício came closest to scoring for Rajasthan United when the Brazilian held off his marker and unleashed a powerful right-footed effort from inside the box, only to see his shot narrowly miss the post. At the other end, Amrit Gope made two crucial saves to deny Castañeda and Brandon Vanlalremdika, keeping the score at 1-0.
Rajasthan United eventually ran out of ideas against a well-organised Sreenidi Deccan defence. The Hyderabad-based side held firm to protect its slender advantage, starting the season with a solid victory and securing all three points.