Sreenidi Deccan Stay Alive in IFL Title Race with Hard-Fought Win Over Chanmari FC

Sreenidi Deccan FC kept their Indian Football League, IFL title ambitions alive after securing a tense 2-1 victory over Chanmari FC at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Knowing that anything less than three points would severely damage their championship hopes, Sreenidi Deccan made a blistering start to the contest and raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 23 minutes through Lalromawia and David Castañeda. Chanmari FC responded quickly through Marlon Rangel and continued pushing for an equaliser throughout the match, but Sreenidi ultimately held firm defensively to secure a crucial victory.

The result ensures the Deccan Warriors remain firmly in the title race as the I-League 2025-26 season approaches its decisive phase.

With the pressure of the title race hanging over them, Sreenidi Deccan approached the game with clear attacking intent from the opening whistle. The home side played at a high tempo early on, using quick transitions and aggressive wing play to stretch Chanmari’s defensive structure. Their breakthrough arrived in the 10th minute after a well-worked attacking move.

Fabrice Kah delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, which was intelligently chested down by David Castañeda into the path of Brandon Vanlalremdika. Although Brandon’s initial effort was scuffed, the loose ball rolled perfectly for Lalromawia, who calmly slotted home from close range.

The early goal immediately lifted the intensity inside the Deccan Arena and gave Sreenidi the momentum they desperately needed.

One of the standout performers throughout the first half was Fabrice Kah. The winger consistently caused problems for the Chanmari defence with his pace, direct running, and ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations. Just minutes after the opening goal, Kah thought he had doubled Sreenidi’s advantage after finding the net himself, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside.

However, the pressure continued building.

Sreenidi finally doubled their lead in the 23rd minute through an excellent counterattacking move. Kah once again played a central role, skipping past two defenders down the left flank before drilling a low cross toward the edge of the penalty area. The ball found David Castañeda in space, and the striker produced a composed finish with a powerful right-footed strike into the bottom corner.

It was Castañeda’s fifth goal of the season and another reminder of his importance to Sreenidi’s attacking setup. At that stage, the Deccan Warriors looked fully in control.

But Chanmari FC responded almost immediately. In the 27th minute, defender Marlon Rangel attempted a direct free-kick from nearly 30 yards out. What initially appeared to be a relatively comfortable save turned into a costly mistake for Kamaljit Singh, as the experienced goalkeeper failed to gather the ball cleanly and watched it slip into the net. The goal completely changed the complexion of the game. Suddenly, Chanmari regained belief and began pushing forward more aggressively, while Sreenidi showed signs of nervousness.

The remainder of the first half became an entertaining, open contest. Sreenidi continued attacking in search of a third goal that could restore breathing space, while Chanmari sensed opportunities to level the score. Abhijith K forced a sharp save from the Chanmari goalkeeper with a powerful volley, while at the other end Kamaljit Singh redeemed himself partially by denying Lalpekhlua with a good stop.

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Kah remained particularly threatening, narrowly missing the target on multiple occasions as the home side entered half-time with a slender 2-1 advantage.

The second half saw a noticeable tactical change from Sreenidi Deccan. Rather than continuing the aggressive pressing approach from the opening period, the home side slowed the tempo and allowed Chanmari greater possession. The strategy appeared designed to manage the game more cautiously while looking for opportunities through counterattacks and set-pieces. Chanmari, meanwhile, carried the responsibility of chasing the equaliser.

The visitors enjoyed more control of possession but struggled to create sustained clear-cut opportunities against Sreenidi’s compact defensive structure. After his earlier mistake, Kamaljit Singh produced a more assured second-half display. The goalkeeper made several important interventions, including a strong save around the hour mark to deny Lalpekhlua once again.

His calmer handling and positioning helped settle the Sreenidi defence during periods when Chanmari attempted to increase attacking pressure.

Sreenidi had a major opportunity to put the game beyond doubt midway through the second half. From a corner routine, Castañeda flicked the ball toward the far post where Hadi Idrissou found himself completely unmarked from close range. However, the Togolese defender failed to direct his header on target, wasting a golden chance to secure the result.

Fortunately for the hosts, the missed opportunity did not prove costly.

Despite the narrow margin, Sreenidi Deccan ultimately managed the closing stages comfortably enough to secure all three points. The victory keeps their title hopes alive and demonstrates the team’s ability to handle pressure during a crucial stage of the season. The combination of Fabrice Kah’s creativity, Castañeda’s finishing, and improved defensive resilience proved enough to overcome a spirited Chanmari side.

For Chanmari FC, the defeat will still offer positives in terms of competitiveness and attacking intent, particularly after recovering from a difficult opening 25 minutes. But for Sreenidi Deccan, only the result truly mattered.

And with the title race tightening further, this hard-fought victory could yet prove crucial in the weeks ahead.