Ranchi, August 16: In a thrilling quarter-final match of the 135th Durand Cup, SC Delhi triumphed over FC Rangdai with a score of 5-1, securing their place in the semifinals. This victory marks the end of a remarkable debut campaign for Rangdai at the quarter-final stage.
The match, held at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium, saw Rangdai take an early lead in the first half with a stunning long-range shot from Chongtham Kishan Singh. However, the tide turned in the second half when substitute Joseph Sunny scored two goals, shifting the momentum in favor of SC Delhi. Following Sunny’s contributions, Rodriquinhho, Juan Sebastian Pena, and Augustin Lalrochan also found the back of the net.
FC Rangdai made their intentions clear from the outset, maintaining control of the ball and playing a high-pressing game. In the 9th minute, they took the lead with a spectacular shot from Kishan Singh, which curved down and hit the underside of the crossbar before finding the net. SC Delhi’s goalkeeper, Nora Fernandes, had no chance to stop it.
Rangdai continued to threaten with counter-attacks, with Midul Dole creating challenges for SC Delhi’s defense. Despite their efforts, neither team could score before halftime, and Rangdai went into the break with a narrow 1-0 lead.
Upon resuming, SC Delhi came out more aggressively, and the introduction of Joseph Sunny proved pivotal. In the 52nd minute, Sunny assisted Rodriquinhho, whose shot was saved by Rangdai’s goalkeeper, Kamei Pantiga, keeping Rangdai’s lead intact.
However, five minutes later, Sunny equalized. Pena passed the ball to him, and he skillfully finished low into the bottom left corner, leveling the score.
This equalizer boosted SC Delhi’s confidence. Ten minutes later, Pena was again at the center of the action, delivering a brilliant no-look pass that allowed Sunny to break into the penalty area. He outsmarted Pantiga to score, turning the match in SC Delhi’s favor with a 2-1 lead.
In the 81st minute, Rodriquinhho scored his first goal of the match. He displayed composure by evading two defenders and then struck the ball with his left foot, leaving Pantiga helpless and extending SC Delhi’s lead to 3-1.
The final moments of the match saw two more goals. In stoppage time (90+3′), Pena executed a brilliant dribble inside the box and calmly finished with a no-look shot, increasing the score to 4-1.
Rangdai continued to fight, with Midul Dole making another impressive run in stoppage time. However, a mix-up between SC Delhi’s defenders and goalkeeper prevented them from scoring.
Before the final whistle, SC Delhi added one more goal. Substitute Augustin Lalrochan took the ball from the left, sprinted into the box, and scored in style, sealing a resounding 5-1 victory.
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