Rajasthan United FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Sporting Club Delhi in their final Group D match of the AIFF Super Cup at the GMC Stadium, here on Thursday.
Pedro Astray (22′) and Robinson Blandón (35′) struck in the opening half to give Rajasthan United a 2-0 lead, but SC Delhi fought back through Sourav (61′) and Alan Saji (90+4′) to secure their only point in the campaign.
Rajasthan FC, who needed a big win to have any chance of making the semifinal grade, finished with four points. SC Delhi ended up bottom of the standings with a solitary point.
Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City will fight for the top spot and the last semifinal berth.
Rajasthan United exhibiting urgency in the first half as they sought a four-goal victory margin to keep their qualification hopes alive. But it was SC Delhi who created the first chance of the game in the ninth minute when forward Devendra Murgaokar found Augustine Lalrochana, whose strike went over the bar.
Rajasthan United kept pressing high with Naoba Meitei and Alan Thapa trying their luck from long range. The reward came in the 22nd minute when Lalfelkima’s corner found Pedro Astray on the far post.
The Spanish midfielder leapt high and sent a header past the SC Delhi goalkeeper Vishal Yadav.
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In the 35th minute, Rajasthan United doubled their lead with Astray launching a cross-field ball from the left to Alan Thapa on the right side of the box. Thapa then sent a low ball across the goal, and Robinson Blandón slotted it home to score his second goal in as many games.
SC Delhi began the second half with greater urgency. The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when Andrei Alba threaded a pass to Sourav, who burst into space on the right and fired a shot past James Kithan in the Rajasthan goal, marking SC Delhi’s first-ever goal from open play.
