By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Royal Wahingdoh FC beat Aizawl XI 3-0 in its last match of the 2nd Division I-League Final Round first leg in Siliguri on Sunday.
Wahingdoh followed its victory against Mohammedan SC (3-1) with another solid win on Sunday to bring its ‘mission I-League’ campaign back on track.
After the blunder against ONGC, a few eyebrows were raised questioning the team’s chances going ahead, but coach Carlton Chapman believes that the team is back on the right track after this win. “I am happy with the result. With this victory, our campaign to qualifying for the I-League is again on the right track,” Chapman told The Shillong Times. Earlier, RWFC made a slow start but picked up momentum in the later stages of the first half. The side from Shillong did well to maintain pressure on the opponents and their hard work paid off after Jackiechand Singh took the team into the lead in the 35th minute. Spurred by the goal, Wahingdoh created several openings towards the end of the first half but to failed to convert any.
Crossing over, Wahingdoh seemed a more determined lot as they pressed for an all out attack. Chapman’s boys dominated ball possession to put Aizawl XI in the back foot. Taking advantage of the mounting pressure on the opponents, Wahigndoh doubled their lead in the 70th minute after Kima’s brilliant strike from outside the box went past the Aizawl custodian. Jackiechand scored his brace in the 80th minute to make it 3-0 for Wahingdoh.
RWFC now travel to Gangtok for the second leg of the qualifiers where they would take on United Sikkim on March 30.