Sreenidi Deccan FC and Shillong Lajong FC Battle to a Draw in IFL Clash

Goalless Stalemate in Indian Football League Showdown

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 1: In a highly anticipated match of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26, Sreenidi Deccan FC and Shillong Lajong FC ended in a 0-0 draw at the Deccan Arena on Wednesday. Both teams, vying for the top position, shared the spoils in a tightly contested match.

Entering the match with equal points, the teams engaged in a tactical duel where both defenses proved resilient, and goalkeepers made critical saves, as noted in a release.

With this result, Sreenidi Deccan FC ascended to the top of the standings with 11 points, while Shillong Lajong remained close behind, tied on points with Rajasthan United FC. Sreenidi's goalkeeper, Kamaljit Singh, was named Player of the Match.

Head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto of Sreenidi Deccan made two adjustments to his starting lineup, introducing Rolieny Nonato Luis Bonevacia and Brandon Vanlalremdika in the midfield, while Shillong's coach Birendra Thapa opted to keep the same squad from their last match.

The home side dominated possession early on, searching for scoring opportunities, but Shillong's defense held firm. The first significant chance came in the 11th minute when Sreenidi's captain, David Castaneda, tested goalkeeper Siwel Rymbai from distance, who made a vital save.

As the match progressed, Shillong began to find their rhythm and posed a threat on counterattacks. Everbrightson Sana Mylliempdah came close several times, and Phrangki Buam nearly scored just before halftime with a long-range free-kick that required a spectacular diving save from Kamaljit Singh.

The second half mirrored the first, with Sreenidi maintaining possession while Shillong focused on quick transitions. Castaneda had another chance just before the hour mark but missed the target, and substitute Paulo Cezar was thwarted by an alert Rymbai.

Shillong also created chances through Sana and substitute Abhay Gurung but struggled to convert in the final third.

As the match neared its conclusion, both teams sought a late winner. Sreenidi came closest in the 86th minute when Pape Gassama delivered a precise free-kick into the box, but Paulo Cezar's header was again denied by an exceptional save from Rymbai.

With both goalkeepers performing admirably and defenses holding strong, the attackers found little success, resulting in a final score of 0-0.