Indian Super League (ISL) side Jamshedpur FC beat 1 Ladakh FC 2-0 in their final Group C match at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Friday.

An own goal from 1 Ladakh FC’s Siju in the 28th minute and a close-range strike from Praful Kumar in the second half sealed the win for the Men of Steel as they secured their place in the Durand Cup 2025 knockouts.

Khalid Jamil made two changes to his starting line-up, bringing in forward Suhair VP and defender Sarthak Goloui in place of Sourav Das and Ashutosh Mehta.

The Men of Steel started strong in the opening minutes, asserting control and carving out chances from the outset. A golden opportunity arrived early on when Pronay Halder lofted a neat pass to Praful, who found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot drifted wide.

The breakthrough came soon after a cleverly worked cross down the right by Vincy Barretto led to Ladakh defender Siju scoring an own goal, giving the hosts a 1–0 advantage.

Jamshedpur FC continued to drive forward with intensity, clearly aiming to wrap things up early, while 1 Ladakh FC struggled to find their rhythm and posed little threat in response.

The home side continued to maintain their dominance in the second half. A well-delivered free kick saw defender Praful find the back of the net with a close-range strike, doubling the lead in the 46th minute.

Jamil made a couple of substitutions in the second half. The hosts kept the ball moving with composure, mixing patient build-up to keep their opponents under pressure.

However, the scoreline remained unchanged as Jamshedpur FC secured a 2-0 victory, sealing their qualification for the Durand Cup quarterfinals with three wins in three matches.

Ajaraie’s brace powers NorthEast United FC

NorthEast United FC registered a gritty 2-1 win over Shillong Lajong FC in the NorthEast Derby at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Friday.

Moroccan forward Alaaeddine Ajaraie scored a brace to become the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals in just two games.

The victory took the Highlanders to six points from two matches, level with Shillong Lajong FC but ahead on head-to-head record, sealing their passage to the knockouts for the third consecutive season.

Head coach Juan Pedro Benali made several changes to his starting XI, handing starts to Redeem Tlang, centre-back Asheer Akhtar, left-back Buanthanglun Samte, and new signings Chema Nunez and Lalrinzuala.

Chema made an immediate impact—slipping a perfectly weighted pass to Ajaraie, who finished clinically to give NorthEast United FC an early lead in the fifth minute.

The first half saw the Highlanders control possession and create further chances through Ajaraie, Jithin MS, and Lalrinzuala, but they went into the break with a slender 1-0 advantage.

The second half brought greater intensity as the hosts pushed for an equalizer. Benali introduced Macarton Nickson and Jairo Samperio to freshen up his attack, while the defensive unit, led by captain Michel Zabaco, stood firm alongside Akhtar, Redeem, and Samte.

Shillong Lajong FC finally levelled the scoreline in the 81st minute when Figo headed home, sending the home crowd into raptures. But the Highlanders responded almost instantly as they restored the lead thanks to the difference maker, Alaaeddine Ajaraie.

Ajaraie received the ball with his back to the goal, spun his marker, and chipped the advancing goalkeeper to bring his side up in style in the 83rd minute.

The Moroccan came close to a second consecutive hat trick, only to see his late header cleared off the line. With that, the match ended on a 2-1 scoreline in favour of the defending champions.

The Highlanders will face Rangdajied United FC in their final Group E fixture on August 11.

Related tags:

Jamshedpur FCNorthEast United FC2024-2025