Champions of Rajasthan make a statement…

Zinc Football Academy marked their debut in I-League 3 with an impressive 3–1 victory over Samaleshwari SC from Odisha, announcing their arrival on the national stage in style.

Fresh off their Rajasthan League triumph just three days ago, ZFA showed no signs of fatigue but only hunger and intent from the very first minute in Imphal, Manipur.

The breakthrough came early.

In the 7th minute, midfield maestro Biswajit stepped up for a free-kick in a dangerous area. His delivery caused immediate problems, taking a crucial deflection off a Samaleshwari defender before finding the back of the net, an own goal that handed ZFA a deserved 1–0 lead.

However, the response was quick.

Within ten minutes, Samaleshwari SC found the equaliser, bringing the contest back on level terms and testing ZFA’s composure in their first outing at this level.

But this ZFA side doesn’t take long to respond.

33 minutes into the first half, the Rajasthan champions regained control of the game. Striker Naro Hari found the decisive touch to restore the lead, ensuring ZFA went into the break ahead at 2–1.

The second half saw ZFA grow into the game with greater authority. Sharper in possession and more assured in their structure, they began to dictate proceedings. The third goal was a perfect reflection of their attacking cohesion… built down the left flank through a well-worked move between Anshid and Asif. The resulting ball into the box was met by substitute Karan Beniwal, who calmly finished to put the result beyond doubt at 3–1.

With barely any recovery time following their Rajasthan League-winning campaign, the Zawar-based team displayed remarkable energy and mental strength to bag three vital points and claim the top spot in Group B for now.

There were several standout performances on the day. Debutants Saurav, Naro Hari, and Akash all made strong impressions, while centre-back Sanjay was particularly outstanding, commanding at the back and playing a crucial role in maintaining defensive stability.

A winning start. A confident statement.

Next up, ZFA face Mumbai FC in their second Group B fixture on April 30 at the SAI Turf Ground in Imphal.