Rajasthan United FC 0
drew with
Aizawl FC 0

AIFF Media Team

JAIPUR: Aizawl FC took a hugely valuable point against Rajasthan United, in a goalless draw at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium, in the I-League 2024-25, on Thursday, February 6, 2025.

With their two other relegation rivals scheduled to play each other later in the week, the point keeps Aizawl’s heads over water for now. While the team from the northeast now have 10 points from 13 matches, Rajasthan United moved to fourth place with 20 points from 13 outings. Rajasthan United are unbeaten in the last nine matches and have logged 17 points.

In a sedate first half, Aizawl were boxed in by a rampant Rajasthan United midfield keen to impress their dominance on the game. The hosts had astutely identified Aizawl’s weakness in dealing with set pieces in the past, and flooded numbers into the box at every opportunity. To Md Rafique Ali Sardar’s credit, he handled the deliveries, as well as organised his defenders well to avoid calamities.   

The first real chance came for Aizawl, from a set piece. From thirty yards out, to the left of goal, Lalbiakdika curled in a shot towards the near corner, forcing Bhabindra Malla Thakuri into a sharp diving save. Rajasthan were profligate with their possession and only registered one weak shot on target in the first half. Aizawl had a second chance right at the end of the half, Laltlanzova driving in from the right to shoot from outside the box. Thakuri gathered with ease. 

Rajasthan’s first real chance came in the second half, when Lucas Cabral, having picked up Ronaldo Johnson’s pass, shot with his left foot from outside the box. Ali Sardar’s diving save was enough to deny Rajasthan the opener.

As time ticked by, the game petered out into a back and forth clash between two sides determined to protect a clean sheet, Aizawl in particular putting bodies on the line in defence. The best chance fell to Johnson in injury time, when he pounced on a rebound off a corner, his acrobatic scissor kick volley on target, only to be hacked off the line by Lalhrezuala. It was heroic stuff from both ends, and the defender had saved his goalkeeper – increasingly nervous as the game wore on — from being positioned badly. 

As has been their wont, Rajasthan’s attacks intensified the deeper they went into injury time. And yet, it was Aizawl who were presented the best chance to get the winner, when Lalbiakdika dribbled into the box, drew the Thakuri and two defenders before squaring the ball to Augustine Lalrochana near the penalty spot. The winger had all the time and an empty goal with defenders sprawling around. He blazed high.