Aizawl/Hyderabad, March 18 – Chanmari FC and Shillong Lajong FC will face each other in a crucial match in the first of two games in the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizawl on Thursday. In the second match of the day, second-placed Sreenidi Deccan will host Namdhari Sports Academy at Deccan Arena in Hyderabad in the evening.
Chanmari FC, arriving at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, will aim to secure another important win in front of their passionate home supporters. The Aizawl-based team, which debuted in the league, recently drew 2-2 against Dempo SC.
Under the guidance of head coach Victor Lalbiakmawia, Chanmari has shown they are capable of competing against established teams. They will rely on their strong defense and quick counter-attacks, orchestrated by winger Jota and precise set-piece deliveries from Christopher Kamei.
However, they will be without defender Malsawmsanga Renthlei, who was sent off in their previous match against Dempo.
Shillong Lajong FC, aiming to bounce back from a 1-2 home defeat against Diamond Harbour FC, will face them. The Meghalaya-based club, under head coach Birendra Thapa, conceded two early goals in their previous match but showed resilience in the second half.
Thapa commented, "It's important to bounce back from the last defeat because this is a short league. Three points will be a significant boost. We conceded two early goals against Diamond Harbour, and that cost us the game. We will learn from those mistakes, and hopefully, we will see a much better performance."
Fully aware of the challenge, Thapa added, "Chanmari is a very good team. They have good players, which is why they have been unbeaten. I want my players to enjoy the game."
Player Ephraim Lalremtluanga echoed this ambition, stating, "We aim to play good football and win all three points."
With both sides relying on strong local talent and dynamic attacking philosophies, the afternoon clash promises to be a highly competitive tactical battle.
All Eyes on Sreenidi Deccan Against Namdhari SA
In the evening fixture, Sreenidi Deccan FC returns to the Deccan Arena after securing a crucial 1-0 away victory over Gokulam Kerala FC. Under head coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto, the Deccan Warriors have provisionally climbed to the top of the table, demonstrating excellent defensive organization.
The hosts will aim to build on this solid foundation and execute a structured game plan to secure another crucial result at home. Head coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto stated, "We play very well at home. It's always great to play in front of our home fans at the Deccan Arena. We have five home games in a row, and we will leverage our home advantage."
Defender Muhammad Hammad added, "Our pre-season was good. We had a really good preparation. Tomorrow is our first home game, and if we stick to our plan, we will have a good game. Namdhari are a competitive side; we have been playing against them for the last three to four seasons."
Namdhari Sports Academy, meanwhile, arrive in Hyderabad looking to recover from a 2-3 defeat against Rajasthan United in the previous round. The Ludhiana-based outfit, led by head coach Harpreet Singh, showed incredible fighting spirit in that fixture, leveling the scores through Manvir Singh and Najib Ibrahim in the final ten minutes before conceding a goal deep into stoppage time.
However, Namdhari face a challenging situation. They will be without Ghanaian captain and defensive anchor, Lamine Moro, who is suspended after receiving two yellow cards and being sent off for dissent in their previous match.
Fully aware of the challenge, Vaz Pinto cautioned, "We know Namdhari. We know their style of play. They are physically very strong. They play aggressive and pressing football. We need to be on top of our game to beat them."
In their previous four encounters, Sreenidi Deccan hold a slight edge with two wins to Namdhari's one, alongside a single draw. In the most recent meeting on March 2, 2025, playing at the same venue, Namdhari secured a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Cledson da Silva strike.