United SC thrash Mumbai FC, Dempo beat HAL
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a disappointing show, Shillong Lajong FC went down to 2-3 to lower placed Chirag United Kerela in a Round 21 match of the I-League played at the Jawaharlala Nehru International Stadium in Kochi on Saturday.
Vineeth CK scored on either halves while David Sunday struck in the 60th minute to Chirag to a 3-1 victory. John D Menyongar (59th minute) and Boithang Haokip scored one a piece for Lajong. With this win Chirag now have 17 points from 20 matches while Lajong stays at 27 points from 21 outings.
A disappointed Shillong Lajong coach Pradhyum Reddy said that the team gave away two goals in the second half which cost them the match.
“Its difficult to come back in an I-League match after you have given away two goals”, he said.
Reddy reiterated the need to regroup coming into the home match against Sporting Clube de Goa if Lajong fancied any chances of reaching anywhere near their projected target of 40 points by the end of the season.
“We played well in the first half to put pressure on them but unfortunately there were some defensive lapses later in the match,” he added.
Lajong started well with Eugeneson Lyngdoh creating two scoring oppotunities, one in the 20th minute followed by the first real chance for the Reds in the 35th minute. But it was Chirag who pulled things back towards the end of the first half when a corner kick from Ganesh was guided to the nets by Vineeth in the 45th minute.
Crossing over, Lajong seemed a more determined lot with Sushil Singh and Tuboi working hard in search of the equaliser. Eugene missed an open goal from the close range in the 49th minute, but the tight angle was too much of an ask for the young midfielder who was creating chances for his teammates all along the match. The efforts, however, paid off when in a replication of Chirag’s first goal, Eugene took a corner kick to find John Menyongar who came in at the post to drive home a header.
But Lajong’s joys were shortlived, as David Sunday produced a moment of brilliance to gift back the lead to the home side, much to the jubilation of the home fans. He lifted the ball over advancing Lalthuamawia Ralte, the Lajong keeper, into the goal.
Vineeth scored his brace with a neat tap in in the 75th minute to take Chirag’s lead to 3-1, but all the credit rested on Sunday who took the ball some thirty yards out and rounded past the defender and then the goal keeper to cross it into Vineeth who was waiting at the center to fire on to an open goal.
Lajong were not in the mood to give-up as coach Pradhyum Reddy brought in former Indian international Renedy Singh and Boithang Haokip after going two goals down.
In the 84th minute, Boithang Haokip scored for Lajong as the match headed for a tense climax. And Tuboi almost made it 3-3 in the 88th minute when his close range effort tipped away from the goalline by rival custodian Sharath.
Chirag then held on to a 3-2 scoreline and gained three crucial points which put them level on with Mumbai FC.
In another match, Kayne Vincent struck twice to help Prayag United SC blank Mumbai FC 3-0 and shoot themselves to fifth place in their I-League return leg match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
United SC dominated the proceedings and New Zealander headed in a Bello Rasaq clearance in the 42nd minute to draw first blood.
Meanwhile, Dempo SC consolidated their title chances when they scored an easy 3-0 win over bottom-placed HAL. (With inputs from Agencies)