Lalrinliana Hnamte's Dream Debut Inspires SC Delhi to Comeback Victory Over Jamshedpur FC in Durand Cup

New signing Lalrinliana Hnamte enjoyed a dream debut for Sporting Club Delhi, scoring twice in the second half to inspire a spirited 2-1 comeback victory over Jamshedpur FC in a Group C clash of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi on Tuesday.

Trailing at halftime after Sanan Mohammed's first-half strike, SC Delhi produced a disciplined and determined second-half performance, with Hnamte turning the game around by scoring in the 51st and 56th minutes.

The victory gave SC Delhi a winning start to their Durand Cup campaign, drawing them level with Jamshedpur FC on three points, although the Red Miners remain top of Group C on goal difference after playing one game more.

Jamshedpur FC began the contest with confidence after their impressive opening victory, and head coach Kaizad Ambapardiwalla made just one change to his starting lineup, bringing in full-back Nikhil Barla.

SC Delhi, under new head coach Tomasz Tchórz, handed competitive debuts to Lalrinliana Hnamte, Yanglem Sanatomba Singh and experienced defender Ashutosh Mehta. The home side immediately seized control of possession, with much of their attacking play flowing through the lively Sanan Mohammed on the left flank.

The Kerala winger repeatedly troubled the Delhi defence with his direct running and dangerous deliveries into the penalty area. Fresh from scoring a hat-trick in Jamshedpur's opening fixture, Raynier Fernandes nearly opened the scoring when he reacted quickest to a loose ball on the edge of the box, but his effort drifted narrowly wide.

Despite Jamshedpur's early dominance, SC Delhi nearly took the lead through a moment of individual brilliance. Mohammed Aimen collected possession in midfield before embarking on a dazzling run that saw him beat three defenders. His composed finish beat goalkeeper Albino Gomes but struck the base of the post before bouncing back into play.

It proved to be a crucial turning point.

Jamshedpur continued to stretch the visitors through Sanan Mohammed and Aman C.K., both of whom consistently found space on the wings. Their persistence was rewarded in the 22nd minute. Pronay Halder won possession deep inside his own half before releasing Sanan with a perfectly weighted long pass over the defence.

The winger displayed excellent composure, cutting inside Ashutosh Mehta before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike beyond Nora Fernandes to hand Jamshedpur a deserved lead.

Although behind on the scoreboard, SC Delhi gradually settled into the contest. The visitors enjoyed greater control during the closing stages of the first half, moving the ball patiently and creating several promising opportunities. One of the best moves came just before halftime when Lamgoulen Semkholun produced a superb defence-splitting pass from inside his own half.

Hnamte timed his run perfectly before driving a dangerous low cross across the face of goal. Joseph Sunny arrived unmarked at the far post but unfortunately lost his footing at the decisive moment, allowing Jamshedpur to carry their one-goal advantage into the interval.

The second half initially lacked rhythm before SC Delhi capitalised on a costly mistake. Mohammed Aimen struck a low effort from outside the penalty area that appeared comfortable for Albino Gomes. However, the slippery surface made handling difficult, and the experienced goalkeeper spilled the ball into the path of Hnamte.

Showing excellent awareness, the debutant reacted first to slot home the rebound and level the scores in the 51st minute. Barely five minutes later, SC Delhi completed the turnaround. This time, impressive wing play from Augustine Lalrochana unlocked the Jamshedpur defence.

After beating Provat Lakra down the flank, Lalrochana delivered a precise pass into the penalty area where Hnamte arrived perfectly. The midfielder calmly guided a first-time left-footed finish beyond Gomes to complete a memorable debut with his second goal in just five minutes. The two quick goals visibly shifted the momentum. SC Delhi suddenly looked full of confidence while Jamshedpur struggled to regain their earlier attacking rhythm.

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/eduardo-carlos-parreira-appointed-head-coach-of-gokulam-kerala-fc

The visitors nearly extended their lead shortly after the hour mark. New Brazilian signing Rodriguinho immediately made an impact after coming off the bench, threading an excellent pass to K. Sourav. Although Albino Gomes produced a fine save, the rebound fell kindly for Rodriguinho. Just as the Brazilian prepared to finish into an open net, a recovering Jamshedpur defender made a crucial intervention to deny what looked like a certain third goal.

Jamshedpur enjoyed more possession during the closing stages but failed to create clear-cut opportunities against SC Delhi's compact defensive structure.

Goalkeeper Nora Fernandes remained largely untested as the visitors defended their advantage with discipline.

There was still one final twist in stoppage time. SC Delhi defender Ashutosh Mehta received a straight red card after a reckless challenge on Sanan Mohammed outside the penalty area, forcing the visitors to finish the match with ten men. However, the dismissal came too late to influence the result.

Jamshedpur's final opportunity fell to Lalhriatpuia Chawngthu, but his effort flew over the crossbar as SC Delhi held on for all three points.

For SC Delhi, the victory could hardly have been scripted better. New coach Tomasz Tchórz saw his side recover from a difficult first half to produce an organised and clinical display after the break, while debutant Lalrinliana Hnamte immediately repaid the faith shown in him with two decisive goals.

The result also highlights the competitive nature of Group C, with both SC Delhi and Jamshedpur now level on three points despite having played a different number of matches.

While Jamshedpur will be disappointed after allowing their lead to slip, SC Delhi will take enormous confidence from a performance built on resilience, tactical discipline and clinical finishing. If Hnamte's debut is any indication of what lies ahead, the Delhi outfit could emerge as one of the surprise packages of this year's Durand Cup.