The inaugural Rajasthan Senior Futsal League, organized by the Rajasthan Football Association, concluded with a thrilling final at the Astro Turf football ground on Green Avenue in Sriganganagar on Saturday. Ganganagar City FC emerged victorious, defeating Zinc Football Academy, Udaipur, 3-2 in a closely contested match.
Tournament Overview
Dilip Singh Shekhawat, secretary of the Rajasthan Football Association, highlighted the association's continuous efforts to promote football in the state. He noted that regular competitions for men, women, boys, and futsal are organized, and successful league competitions for all categories are rare among states. This year, the futsal league was held in the border region of Sriganganagar, providing local players with an opportunity to compete at a high level.
Semi-Final Matches
In the first semi-final, Zinc Football Academy dominated Golajo Ranthambore Football Club with a resounding 10-2 victory. Manish Meel, Suvin Swami, Himesh Meena, and Bharat Meena each scored two goals for Zinc, while Sanjay and Sandeep Marandi added one each. For Golajo Ranthambore, Jaidev Singh and Aman Tyagi scored one goal apiece. Manish Meel was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.
The second semi-final saw Ganganagar City FC edge past Jaipur Futsal Club 4-3 in an exciting encounter. Trilokraj Singh was awarded Player of the Match for his contribution to the win.
Thrilling Final
In the final, Zinc Football Academy took an early lead in the second minute through Himesh Meena and held a 1-0 advantage at halftime. Ganganagar City FC mounted a strong comeback in the second half, with captain Ankit Mankad equalizing in the 39th minute to make it 1-1. With the score tied at full time, the match went into extra time.
In the 43rd minute of extra time, Jagminthang restored Zinc's lead, but Trilokraj Singh converted a penalty in the 45th minute to level the score at 2-2. In the dying moments, Trilokraj Singh scored his second goal, securing a memorable 3-2 victory for Ganganagar City FC. He was deservedly named Player of the Match.
Award Winners and Participants
The winning and runner-up teams were honored with trophies and medals during the closing ceremony. Individual awards included:
- Best Player: Manish Meel (Zinc Football Academy)
- Best Goalkeeper: Akshay (Zinc Football Academy)
- Top Scorer: Saurabh (Ganganagar City FC) – 9 goals
- Fair Play Award: Jaipur Futsal Club
Eight professional teams from across the state participated: Zinc Football Academy (Udaipur), Jaipur City Football Club, Ganganagar City Football Club, Golajo Ranthambore Football Club, Rihaan Football Academy, Red Stone Football Club, Jaipur Futsal Club, and Jaipur Elite Football Club. The tournament was successfully conducted with the support of the technical delegation, including Satish Jangid (Technical Head), Bhairuratan Ojha (Match Commissioner), and officials Kartikey Paliwal, Javed Ali, Rahul Ojha, Rohitash, and Narendra.
