Jamshedpur FC secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Monday. With this win, the Men of Steel moved up to second place in the league standings. Rei Tachikawa and Jordan Murray found the back of the net for the hosts, while Cy Goddard scored the only goal for the visitors.
Tactical Start and Early Exchanges
The game began cautiously, with both teams taking their time to assess one another. In the ninth minute, Jamshedpur FC mounted their first real attack, with Imran Khan sending a pinpoint cross into Hyderabad FC’s penalty area. However, Mohammed Sanan narrowly missed connecting with the ball. Hyderabad responded immediately, with Ramhlunchhunga finding Cy Goddard, whose deflected cross reached Lenny Rodrigues. Unfortunately, Rodrigues’ attempt was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Albino Gomes.
Jamshedpur FC Takes the Lead
In the 29th minute, Jamshedpur FC broke the deadlock. Sanan delivered a cross from the left, which fell to Imran Khan after Alex Saji missed a header. Although Khan’s shot struck the post, Tachikawa was quick to react and turned the ball into the net. Just five minutes later, Tachikawa nearly doubled his tally, but his powerful shot was expertly saved by Arshdeep Singh. Sanan had another chance soon after, but his effort narrowly missed the target.
Murray’s Decisive Strike Before Halftime
Hyderabad FC came close to equalizing in the 41st minute when Goddard set up Ramhlunchhunga, whose curling shot was tipped away by Gomes. However, Jamshedpur FC extinguished Hyderabad’s growing momentum with a well-timed goal just before halftime. In the 44th minute, Sanan played a perfectly weighted through ball to Jordan Murray, who calmly chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper, making it 2-0.
Hyderabad FC’s Fightback and Second-Half Drama
Thangboi Singto’s Hyderabad side came out strong in the second half and quickly pulled one back in the 50th minute. A long throw-in by Leander D’Cunha caused confusion in the Jamshedpur FC defense. Allan de Souza’s header was left by Pratik Chaudhari, expecting Gomes to collect, but Ramhlunchhunga’s touch set up Cy Goddard, who took advantage of the defensive error to score for the visitors.
Late Push and Full-Time
Both teams made tactical substitutions in the second half, attempting to secure their desired result. Despite several attempts from both sides, the defenses held firm, and no further goals were added. In the end, Jamshedpur FC walked away with a crucial three points, bolstered by a standout performance from Jordan Murray. His top-class goal and contribution in both attack and defense, including creating two chances and making a key tackle and clearance, helped secure the victory.
Upcoming Fixtures
Jamshedpur FC will now travel to Guwahati for their next match against NorthEast United on October 26, while Hyderabad FC will head to Kolkata to face Mohammedan SC on the same date.
Brief Scores
Jamshedpur FC 2 (Rei Tachikawa 29′, Jordan Murray 44′)
Hyderabad FC 1 (Cy Goddard 50′)