Jaipur, March 16: Rajasthan United FC and Real Kashmir will be looking to win their next match to improve their standings in the Indian Football League 2025-26. Rajasthan United FC will play against Real Kashmir FC with the hope of climbing to the top of the standings, while the latter will aim to secure their first win in the IFL 2025-26 at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur.
Rajasthan United will be playing their second consecutive home match after securing their first win of the campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Namdhari SA in the previous round. A win will temporarily put Rajasthan in the top spot.
Relying on a possession-based attacking philosophy, Rajasthan will heavily depend on their in-form forwards. French striker Amadou Soukouna proved to be the key difference-maker in their last outing, scoring a stoppage-time winner in the 96th minute.
Assistant coach Vikas Rawat emphasized the importance of the match, stating, "This game is very important for us because the three points can take us to the top of the table. We are working very hard to achieve that, but we also know that Real Kashmir will come with great intensity as they are still looking for their first win." He also highlighted the importance of their home advantage, adding, "We expect a competitive match and hope the fans come in good numbers and support us as they did in the last game."
Real Kashmir, under head coach Ishfaq Ahmed, will arrive with their trademark resilience, physical style of play, and a reputation for being incredibly difficult to break down.
However, Real Kashmir will be desperate to close out matches after playing out a 2-2 draw against Aizawl FC, where they led twice but conceded a 91st-minute equaliser, leaving them ninth in the standings with two points.
Ishfaq said, "I am happy with the way the team has responded. Except for one game where we slightly faltered, the players have shown improvement with every match. The last game was much better in terms of performance and character, and we are confident that in this away fixture we can build on those positives, handle the tough conditions, and put in a strong performance to get a positive result."
Defender Basit Ahmed Bhat, who also played in the previous fixture, reflected on their progress. "Our preparation as a team has been very good, and with every match we are getting better and understanding each other more on the pitch," he noted.
"The last game showed great character from the team, even though it was unfortunate to concede in extra time. We know that converting draws into wins is the next step for us, and we believe that if we maintain the same attitude, adapt to the conditions, and stay focused for the full ninety minutes, we can get the three points and move up the table," he added.
Real Kashmir hold the advantage with four wins to Rajasthan United's two, alongside one draw in both teams' previous seven encounters. In the last fixture, Rajasthan had a resounding 4-0 victory over Real Kashmir. With crucial points on offer, Rajasthan United eye the top spot as Real Kashmir hunt for that elusive first win.