SHILLONG: Langsning FC beat Southern Samity 2-0 in the 12th match of the first leg of the 2nd Division I-League, played here at Bangalore Football Stadium on Tuesday.
As a result, Southern Samity stay at the bottom of the table with just one point.
Langsning have moved to four points and keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the I-League’s top tier con-trary to Tuesday’s report, which said that both Shil-long-based clubs (Rangda-jied United being the other) were knocked out.
Rangdajied secretary K Kurbah clarified, “We still have to play for 18 points and this kind of report in the press will demoralise the players.” He added, “The fight is still on as second leg of the meet have not yet kicked off.”
Both teams will, however, have to lift their game against the bigger teams in the competition to have a hope of qualifying.
Playing a barren first half, Langsning, despite possessing 60 percent of the ball before the lemon break, put up an attacking second half by bringing in striker Victor Shadap in places of defender Fullmoon Mukhim.
It was in the 67th minute of the game that Langsning broke the deadlock when Samson Nongrum neatly headed the volley cross ball from Joel Sunday Ayeni from the left flank into the back of the net.
Langsning consolidated their position in the 77th minute through an own goal by Avijit Das while trying to clear the ball away from the goal.
Langsning will now take on Rangdajied in the last 1st leg tie on Friday.
After a break over the weekend, Rangdajied will play their first match of the 2nd leg against Bhawanipore FC on April 15.