Thrilling comeback: Indian Army football team defeats 1 Ladakh FC in Durand Cup

The Indian Army Football Team staged a remarkable comeback from 0-2 down to beat 1 Ladakh FC 4-2 in their final Durand Cup Group C match. Despite the win, their goal difference was insufficient to progress to the quarterfinals

Hyderabad: The Indian Army Football Team staged a thrilling comeback from two goals down to beat 1 Ladakh FC 4–2 in their final Group C match of the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup, played at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Monday.

The victory lifted them to six points, placing second in Group C, level with other contenders for the two best second-placed quarterfinal spots. However, their +2 goal difference fell short of the required margin, ending their campaign despite the exhilarating win.

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The breakthrough for 1 Ladakh came in the 22nd minute when they caught the Army defence flat-footed with a sharp through ball. P. Kamalesh timed his run perfectly, latched onto the pass, and surged into the box, only to be brought down by goalkeeper Sayad Kadir in a desperate sliding challenge. Kamalesh calmly converted the penalty with a short run-up, sending Kadir the wrong way with a deft side-footed finish into the bottom left corner, giving 1 Ladakh a 1–0 lead.

Fourteen minutes later, Vignesh showcased exquisite timing and precision; he picked up the ball in space and fired a crisp, well-placed shot that Kadir couldn’t keep out, extending Ladakh’s lead to 2–0.

Indian Army Football Team sparked their comeback as Sama delivered a powerful header from a well-placed cross into the box. Sama timed his run perfectly, rising above his marker to connect with Christopher’s cross, guiding a firm header back across goal and past the outstretched hands of Ladakh goalkeeper Mohit Dayal to make it 2–1 and reignite Army’s belief.

In the 45th minute, the Indian Army drew level with a scrappy yet decisive strike. Amid a frantic scramble inside the box, a loose ball fell invitingly at the feet of Abhishek. With defenders converging and space at a premium, he reacted swiftly, stepping into the path of the bouncing ball and managing to get his shot away in an instant. The effort deflected slightly off a defender, wrong-footing the Ladakh goalkeeper, and trickled over the line.

After the break, the Army continued to apply pressure, which paid off in the 51st minute when they earned a penalty after Abhishek Shankar was brought down inside the box while chasing a through ball. Christopher Kamei drilled his spot-kick low into the right corner to give Army a 3–2 lead.

Ladakh barely had time to regroup before Army struck again in the 55th minute. A sweeping move down the right saw a precise low cross fizz into the box, where Rahul Ramakrishnan arrived unmarked to head home from close range. The quick double not only flipped the match on its head but also crushed Ladakh’s resistance.

Result: Indian Army Football Team 4 (Sama 41’, Abhishek 45’, Christopher 51’ [P], Rahul 55’) bt 1 Ladakh FC 2 (Kamalesh 23’ [P], Vignesh 37’).