ZFA finish Runner-Up in impressive debut Futsal campaign.

Our Zinc Football Academy team delivered a remarkable performance in our debut appearance at the Rajasthan League Futsal Men’s 2025–26, finishing as runner-up and marking our arrival in the futsal arena with authority.

ZFA team, a mixture of our Under-18 and senior team players, topped Group A with three wins from three matches. The young boys edged past Jaipur Elite FC 3-2 in a nervy opener in Ganganagar before finding their rhythm with an emphatic 8-2 win over Jaipur Futsal Club. They then produced a statement performance in their final group match, thrashing Rihan FA 17-0 to seal top spot in commanding fashion.

Carrying strong momentum into the knockout stage, ZFA faced Golazo Ranthambore FC in the semi-finals and delivered another dominant display, securing a comprehensive 10–2 victory to book their place in the final.

In the final, ZFA took on hosts Ganganagar City FC in a high-intensity contest that lived up to expectations. ZFA started brightly amidst the home support for the opposition, with Zawar’s Himesh Meena opening the scoring to give us an early advantage. However, the hosts responded to level the score by the end of regulation time, forcing the game into extra time.

The drama continued in extra time, with Jangminthang Haokip restoring our lead to make it 2-1. Ganganagar City FC once again fought back, equalising through a penalty after a handball decision. ZFA had a golden opportunity to regain the lead from the penalty spot, but the Karan Beniwal’s effort went off target.

With momentum swinging, the hosts capitalised and scored the decisive third goal late in extra time. Despite a spirited push in the closing moments, ZFA were unable to find the equaliser, and the match ended 3–2 in favour of Ganganagar City FC.

While the final result did not go our way, ZFA’s campaign was filled with positives. Manish Meel was awarded the ‘Best Player of the Tournament’, while goalkeeper Axay was recognised as the ‘Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament’, underlining the team’s overall excellence.

To finish runners-up and claim two major individual honours in a debut futsal campaign is a significant achievement for the young ZFA side. The experience gained and performances delivered signal a bright future, with the team only set to grow stronger from here.