Moses lalrinzuala

Indian Football League: Gokulam Kerala FC pulled off a dramatic late escape to preserve their Indian Football League status and condemn Namdhari FC to relegation, as Trijoy Savio Dias struck deep into stoppage time to seal a 1-0 win in their Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 Relegation Phase clash at the Deccan Arena, in Hyderabad, on Tuesday.

Heading into the contest knowing that only a win would keep their survival hopes alive, the Malabarians held their nerve in a tense and fiercely-contested encounter before Trijoy delivered the decisive blow in the eighth minute of added time, sparking scenes of jubilation on the Gokulam bench and heartbreak for Namdhari.

After remaining defensively resolute for almost the entirety of the contest, Namdhari suffered a devastating late lapse at the worst possible moment. Vitor Hugo Encarnação Freitas (Barata) floated a long ball into the penalty area, and goalkeeper Niraj Kumar came off his line in an attempt to punch clear, but failed to get enough on the ball. Centre-back Bouba Aminou, who was deployed as a makeshift striker, got his head to the ball. With Namdhari unable to clear their lines, Trijoy reacted quickest to rifle the loose ball into the net and save Gokulam from relegation in dramatic fashion.