AIFF Media Team

BHAVNAGAR, GUJARAT: Tlangnuam Futsal Club (Mizoram) and Progressive Sports Academy (Gujarat) set up a grand final clash in the AIFF Futsal Club Championship 2025-26 after recording semi-final victories at the SAG Indoor Stadium in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Friday, June 26, 2026.

In the first semi-final, Tlangnuam FC got the better of defending champions Goal Hunterz (Delhi) 10-4, while in the second semi-final, hosts Progressive SA came from behind to down South Castle United FA (Karnataka) 8-5.

Goal Hunterz FC - 4 (Mahip Adhikari 4’ Ansh Gupta 16’ Bijoy Gusai 20’ Manav Sharma 39’)
lost to
Tlangnuam FC - 10 (Lalremtluanga 3’ 38’ David Laltansanga 11’ 16’ 23’ 36’ PC Lalremruata 15’ K. Roluahpuia 23’ Jayesh Sutar 32’ 39’)

Tlangnuam and Goal Hunterz matched one another move for move in the first half before the former swiftly switched gears after the break and emerged convincing 10-4 winners.

Lalrinzuala was the chief provider for Tlangnuam whenever he was brought on. He enabled them to open the scoring as early as the third minute. Moving briskly with a couple of passes, he opened up the goal for Lalremtluanga to fire home.

But the response from Goal Hunterz was swift as Mahip Adhikari controlled a long pass from Milind Negi, dribbled past goalkeeper Aleef Rahaman Mollah and placed home. The reverse saw Tlangnuam step up their attacks and move fast along the flanks with one-touch play. In the 11th minute, skipper David Laltansanga, who scored four goals, got his first after dispossessing Mukul Shoun and toeing the ball home to make it 2-1.

Lalrinzuala once again did the spade work for Lalremtruata to slide home on the left. Goal Hunterz again responded with a terrific strike. Mahip Adhikari cut back his free-kick, and Ansh Gupta came in to slam home a rising right-footer that settled into the top corner.

Laltlansanga got his second with a crisp, angled right-footer from the top of the circle after Lalremtruata had found him free to make it 4-2, only for Bijoy Gusai to place home with the last kick of the first half as it ended 4-3 in favour of Tlangnuam.

The Mizo side defended in strength and never allowed Goal Hunterz much scope or space to try and score after the resumption. Goalkeeper Mollah, too, was alert enough to ward away long shots. They tried to keep up a flow of scooped aerial passes. Negi found Krishan Kumar free on the left, but the latter's placement rolled just wide with an open goal in front.

Tlangnuam were content to keep possession in turns, but yet managed to break free with swift counters. Roluahpuia made it 5-3 before Laltlansanga and Jayesh Sutar struck twice each. Lalremtluanga also added another to his tally. Manav Sharma converted a neat pass from Ansh Gupta, but it only reduced the margin. Tlangnuam ran out 10-4 winners to knock out the defending champions.

Progressive SA - 8 (Nikhil Mali 4’ 28’ 35’ Gourav Kankonkar 9’ 37’ 38’ 39’ Aman Shah 32’)
defeated
South Castle United FA - 5 (Abhishek Ramesh 10’ Surendra Prasad 17’ Yogith N 26’ Nikhil Ayyappa Nunna 28’ Jino Soosai 33’).

Home favourites Progressive SA did well to stave off a spirited challenge from South Castle United, who demonstrated gallant efforts, but they eventually went in vain.

It could perhaps not have been closer. With precision passing and fine movements, accurate first-time conversions and a headed goal as an icing on the cake, the match produced many exciting moments as both battled it out for all they were worth. It was 2-2 at the end of the first half. Goalkeeper Abhishek Ramesh blocked Aman Shah’s shot, and as it rebounded, Nikhil Mali rammed it home. Seaon D’Souza held the ball just enough for Gaurav Kankonkar to move up and slam it in.

It was 2-0 to Progressive but became 2-2 at the breather. Jino Soosai rolled his free-kick to Abhishek Ramesh, who had advanced. The goalkeeper pushed a firm right footer to the roof of the net. Then Narendra Prasad and Surendra Prasad combined to level scores just before the breather as the latter cleverly back-heeled the ball over the line from close quarters. 

The resumption saw South Castle United take the lead as Jino Soosai intercepted a pass and pushed forward for his captain Yogith to slide home in the 26th minute. But his opposite number Mali made it 3-3 two minutes later, banging home a fierce right-footer off D’Souza’s pass. A minute later, goalkeeper Kevin Koshy lobbed the ball into the Progressive area for Nikhil Ayyappa Nunna to head past goalkeeper Ozen Silva. The drama was far from over. Forcing a free-kick in the centre, Aman Shah stunned everyone with a brilliant right footer that rocketed in to make it 4-4. Once again, South Castle United answered with another goal as Jino Soosai converted Yogith’s kick-in to lead 5-4.

However, the hosts kept their calm and attacked with renewed vigour. Nikhil Mali toed home a firm low shot to make it 5-5. Gourav Kankonkar then took over and hammered home three goals within the final four minutes. Mali provided the pass for his two strikes. After it was 7-5, Shah and Lalsawmpuia, who had brought off a goal-line save moments earlier, moved up in tandem, and Lalsawmpuia found Kankonkar on the left. The Progressive striker pushed it with the outside of his right foot to make it 8-5 and put the home side in the final.