Late Drama in Jaipur as Gujarat Salvages Draw
A dramatic late strike by Gujarat forward Akshay shattered Rajasthan's hopes for a victory, forcing a 1-1 draw in a gripping Group A encounter of the 79th Senior Men's National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy. The match was played at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur on Friday.
Rajasthan's Flying Start and Gujarat's Resilient Fightback
The hosts, Rajasthan, could not have asked for a better beginning. In just the third minute of play, Amit Kumar rose highest to power a precise header into the net from a corner kick, sending the local fans into early celebrations. Rajasthan controlled the tempo for large parts of the game, diligently protecting their slender lead.
However, Gujarat refused to surrender. Their persistence paid off in the 82nd minute when forward Akshay found the back of the net to restore parity. The goal ignited a frantic finale, with Rajasthan launching desperate attacks in search of a winner. Smart defending by the Gujarat backline, however, stood firm to deny the hosts and secure a valuable point.
Player of the Match and Qualification Scenarios
For his commanding performance in midfield, Gujarat's Moinuddin was rightfully adjudged the Player of the Match. The result sets up a tense final day in the group. Rajasthan will now face Maharashtra in their third and final league outing on Sunday. Their path to the next round is steep: they must win that match by at least four goals to keep their qualification hopes alive.
In other group action on Friday, Maharashtra bounced back strongly from their opening loss, drubbing Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 4-0 in the morning session. Zeeshan scored a brace for Maharashtra, with Mohd Ashraf and Karan adding a goal each. Maharashtra had lost 0-3 to Gujarat in their first match on Wednesday.
Dignitaries and Officials Present
Before the kick-off, the players were introduced to several dignitaries, including former Rajasthan cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Pachar Group director Jitendra Singh Pachhar, Dr SP Yadav of Shekhawati Hospital, and Kartik Vashishtha, director of KV Sports. Rajasthan Football Association secretary Dilip Singh Shekhawat along with other RFA officials were also present on the occasion.
