Ardent fans of Red Miners disappointed after Gaurs handed 3-0 defeat in Kalinga Super Cup finals

Jamshedpur: Dreams were shattered for the third time with the defeat of the JFC to FC Goa at the title clash of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025.

At the kick-off, fans were upbeat as the ‘Red Miners' were evenly balanced with the Gaurs, who were visibly dominant later in the game.

"In the first half, our boys got a few opportunities but missed them. At the same time, opponent Goa players were aggressive and dominant," said Mohamed Kafil, a spectator at the community ground of Dhatkidih watching the live match on a giant screen.

Another fan, Suraj Mukhi, said Borja's goal in the 23rd minute made the initial difference and triggered the Manolo Marquez boys to play the second half with intense aggression.

The Dhatkidih ground was well attended by spectators who had come with hope to see the ‘Men of Steel' lift the championship trophy and add the second-ever title to their credit, but with the start of the second half, the fans started losing faith in their idols.

"Khalid Jamil's men needed a miracle to bounce back after the 3-0 score. The resilience and the grit of the boys was visibly missing today," commented 28-year-old Amit Kumar, a Tata Steel employee and a committed fan of JFC.

Hotels and restaurants where the match was being screened live saw a sudden switch to the IPL match.

"After the second goal scored by the Spanish midfielder Borja Herrera giving a comfortable lead to FC Goa, some of the guests requested for the IPL match," said The Kannelite director Nirmal Singh.

Likewise, Mocha Café and Bar Bistupur manager Priya said the guests were getting disappointed on seeing JFC losing the match and so the telecast was changed to cricket.

Several dedicated fans of Javi and Siverio said JFC did not play up to the occasion.

"The furnace was missing today. The passion to pounce on the opponent and snatch the ball was literally not coming throughout the 90 minutes," said JFC fan Shailesh Tiwary with a broken heart.

In the run up to the finals, Tiwary exuded confidence that the method and grit of the JFC boys will create history in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. This is the third defeat of the JFC in the Kalinga Super Cup, he added.

"JFC are a good team, losses are part of the game, keep heads up," said a young spectator.