Lajong take on leaders Dempo in crucial tie today; New signing Mayora to debut for hosts
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC would be desperate to find itself among points again when the local favourites lock horns with Goa giants Dempo SC in a Round 16 I-League match to be played at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Sunday.
Leaders Dempo, who are at 33 points from 15 matches, had drubbed Lajong 5-0 in the first leg and would like to repeat their performance here to further enhance their stay at the top of the table.
It may be recalled that Dempo have sweet memories of Shillong since they had beaten Lajong by a solitary goal here to claim the I-League title two years ago.
However an area of concern for the visitors would be the absence of star midfielder Mahesh Gawli who has been suspended for a match.
Lajong on the other hand are struggling for form and would look to put up a good show in Sunday’s encounter. The major area of concern for the hosts would be their midfield which fared poorly during the home tie against Churchill which the Reds lost 0-2.
The return of John Menyongar and Lalramluaha though could boost the performance of the midfield.
The hosts would also like to see a better conversion rate from its ranks which missed at least two clear chances to score in the last match besides scoring fewer goals through the season.
Lajong, however, can take heart from the fact that Dempo has forsaken points against teams like Air India and Prayag United in the first leg which implies that there could be a chink in its armour which the home side could try and exploit.
Lajong coach Pradyum Reddy said that the team is looking for a better show on Sunday. “I am aware that we have not played well against Churchill but the boy’s are keen to perform and we are ready to take on Dempo which is currently the best team in the league,” Reddy said.
While admitting that the team’s major weakness in the last match was the midfield, he said that with Menyongar and Lalramluaha back into the side things would vastly improve.
Taking a jab at the home fans, Reddy said, “After Churchill had scored the second goal on Wednesday, most of the spectators left the stadium. The crowd should support the team when it needs them most.”
In the same breath, the coach also admitted that Lajong’s poor performance had also let the crowd down. “I assure you that we will play much better football tomorrow,” he said.
Dempo coach Armando Colaco on the other hand said that the biggest challenge for his team would be to come to terms with the cold weather. “Our players are not used to such weather conditions so it would be a big challenge for us. But as proffessional footballers we have to be up for it,” the former India coach said adding that they are confident of a good performance.
Colaco said that the pressure would be on Shillong Lajong since they would be playing in front of their home crowd.
While lauding his players for playing good football throughout the season the Dempo coach said , “We did play badly against Prayag United and Air India but after those two poor performances, we have come back come back very strong and hope to continue our good run.”
When asked about Lajong, he said that the Shillong side is playing very well even though luck has not gone their way.
“I have noticed that they have lost many close matches,” Dempo coach said.
Colaco said he is happy to be back in Shillong since two years back they had won the 2009-2010 I-League here. “I am glad to see that sports infrastructure here has improved vastly when compared to the last time we played here,” he said.
Mayora inducted
In a bid to strengthen its forward line, Shillong Lajong FC signed Australian footballer of Uruguayan descent Mathew Osvaldo Mayora here on Saturday.
The 25-year-old 6 feet 2 inches Mayora is also expected to give Lajong the height advantage in its ranks. “We were looking for the right kind of player to fit into our system, and we discovered that Mayora’s style of play suits Lajong,” coach Pradhyum Reddy told reporters here.
“We are hopeful that the inclusion of Mayora would better our conversion rate,” Reddy added.
Lajong’s conversion rate has been poor this season and coach Pradyum Reddy while admitting the same cautioned the fans that “not too much should be expected of the striker” in his debut game against Dempo on Sunday.
Mayora had earlier played in the Norwegian league where he was the top scorer with 15 goals in his kitty during the season.
Apart from this, Mayora has played for various Australian football clubs in New South Wales.
Lajong have signed Mayora for this I-League season only.