A crimson tide of die-hard fans helped Jamshedpur FC pull off a 2-2 draw against a strong side like Bengaluru FC in their second ISL tie this season at Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Sunday.

Attacking Spanish midfielder Sergio Cidoncha Fernández scored the final equaliser in the dying seconds of the match to gift JFC a stunning finish that sent dozens of supporters into raptures.

Like the steel city’s Red Miners, fellow fans down south were all pumped up to cheer Jamshedpur FC since early evening.

Buoyed by the Men in Steel’s solid 2-0 victory over Mumbai City FC on October 3, team followers who either study or work in Bangalore had trooped to the match venue two hours before the 7.30pm kick-off, their red tees reflecting their undying support.

“This was a tough match, but the win in Mumbai had made us hopeful. I had an inkling that we would win or draw the game. We need to plug holes in the defence,” said Abhishek Mahto, a native of Kadma in Jamshedpur who works here as a category manager with Paytm.

Mahto is among the 60-odd fans who call themselves the Red Army and had bought tickets for the east lower stand meant exclusively for team supporters.

“We formed our fan group last year because Jamshedpureans live and work across India. The JFC have a support base at home, but they need some cheering at away venues too. We have travelled to Chennai, Pune, Goa, Kochi and Bhubaneswar in the past to boost the morale of our team,” said Abhiron Kar, a software engineer with TCS.

Riya Mandal, also from Kadma and a BA second-year student at Jyoti Nivas College in Koramangala here, always believed that marquee player Tim Cahill’s presence would make a difference.

“Cahill, an all-time leading goal-scorer for Australia, played his first match in JFC colours. That made a marked difference in the front line. Our team was poised to play well despite the challenge,” she said.

Chiranjit Mandal, a senior analyst at EMC Corporation, elaborated. “The JFC have formed a crack unit this season. The presence of five Spaniards and World Cup player Cahill will keep the team in good stead,” he said.

The Red Army members spent from their own pockets to make banners, flags and scarves.

“These props help us whip up the spirit,” said Telco resident Chandan Jaiswal who also works with Paytm in Bangalore as manager (partnership and alliances).