Rajasthan Fc

Rajasthan United's dramatic late show earns point against Lajong

Ten-man Rajasthan strikes twice in stoppage time to snatch draw

Jaipur-based Rajasthan United FC staged a remarkable comeback to earn a 4-4 draw against 10-man Shillong Lajong in the I-League on Saturday. Trailing 4-2 with just minutes remaining, Rajasthan netted twice in injury time to salvage a point.

Rajasthan's spirited fightback

Rajasthan fell behind early in the first half, but showed great resilience to fight back. They equalized through Liberian forward Ansumana Kromah in the 25th minute. Lajong regained the lead before the break, but Rajasthan refused to give up.

In the second half, Rajasthan continued to press forward and were rewarded with a penalty in the 65th minute, which Kromah converted to make it 3-3. However, Lajong regained the lead once again through Samuel Lalmuanpuia in the 85th minute.

It seemed like Rajasthan's hopes of a point were fading away, but they produced a stunning late show. Substitute Aman Thapa pulled one back in the 90th minute, and then Kromah completed his hat-trick in the dying seconds to earn Rajasthan a dramatic draw.

Lajong's missed opportunity

For Lajong, the draw was a missed opportunity to move up the table. They played with 10 men for the final 20 minutes after their goalkeeper was sent off, but they were unable to hold on to their lead.

Rajasthan's impressive start

Despite being a relatively new club, Rajasthan have made an impressive start to their I-League campaign. They are currently fifth in the table, just two points behind leaders Gokulam Kerala.

Key stats

• Kromah's hat-trick was his first in the I-League.
• Rajasthan have now gone unbeaten in their last four matches.
• Lajong have failed to win any of their last five matches.

Quotes

"I'm very proud of my players," said Rajasthan coach Francesc Bonet. "They showed great character and determination to come back from behind twice."

"We're disappointed not to have won," said Lajong coach Alison Kharsyntiew. "But we have to give credit to Rajasthan for their fighting spirit."

Conclusion

Rajasthan United's late show against Shillong Lajong was a thrilling example of the unpredictability of the I-League. It also showed the great strides that Rajasthan have made in a short space of time.