By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A header from Minchol Son and a strike by Sushil Kumar Singh saw Shillong Lajong FC defeat Mumbai FC in their 24th round I-League match at the JN Stadium, Polo, on Sunday evening.
Described by SLFC coach Thangboi Singto as a “must-win match” on Saturday, the Reds’ victory moves them up to 10th spot in the table with 25 points from 24 games. This is only their fifth win of the season, but has come at the right time.
Lajong drew their last three matches before Sunday and had not tasted victory since downing lowly United Sikkim 2-1 on February 2, also at home.
Despite the 2-0 score line, Sunday’s fixture was scrappy at times for the home team, but they were far better than their opponents.
Mumbai, who came to the city on the back of a 2-3 defeat to Mohun Bagan on Wednesday, looked tired and out of sorts.
They rarely threatened the Lajong goal, with most of the action concentrated in their own half.
The first few minutes held little in the way of real threats on goal, but the action picked up in the 20th minute when a long ball from Lajong drew the Mumbai goalkeeper Kunal Sawant out of the goalmouth.
He punched the ball but did not get it into safety, with SLFC’s Taisuke Matsugae on hand to attempt a shot on goal. The ball was at an awkward height, however, and he did not connect cleanly, allowing Sawant a more convincing save.
Matsugae was in action four minutes later when a fast ball forward up the left flank found Sushil, who passed it to the Japanese player. Matsugae attempted a running left-footer that the keeper deflected onto the bar and out for a corner.
It was all Lajong in attack and their seized the breakthrough in the 33rd minute. A foul on the left flank gave the home team a free kick. Edinho Junior first attempted a header, but the ball went back towards Minchol, who put it into the net.
With a slender 1-0 lead, Lajong could not afford to rest on their laurels, but though they pressed forward for another goal, nothing much happened in the remaining minutes of the first half.
Into the second, both teams started off a little listless with the first real bit of excitement coming on the hour mark when, following a free kick, Minchol’s header was on target but Sawant put the ball out with a dive to this right.
Such was the struggle that the visitors faced to even approach Lajong’s goal that it is hard to identify any real chance they had.
Their star striker Yusif Yakubu did fire a wild ball from well outside the box in the 65th minute, but there was little else to cheer for Mumbai.
Shillong Lajong then doubled their lead in the 79th minute. The home side attacked up the centre and the ball was neatly passed to Sushil on the right, who was completely unmarked.
Taking a second, the Manipur player then pulled the trigger and the ball flew low to the right of the keeper and into the net.
Speaking after the game, Singto described the win as a “big, big boost”. He gave all credit to his players and praised them for continuing to fight.
He also sees his side on an improving curve. “It takes time for a team to gel. Today’s match shows that the team is getting better at understanding each other,” Singto said.
Mumbai’s coach, Khalid Jamil said he was not too disappointed, having had a tough game against Bagan last week. The away defeat also does not cost Mumbai much as they stay in eighth position.
Jamil did admit that Minchol, Matsugae and Sushil were the stars of the match, although it was the Korean who bagged the Man-of-the-Match award.
Looking ahead, Lajong have just two matches remaining, both away in Kolkata. They will play East Bengal on May 12, but they will first face Prayag United on April 19, a match that Singto says is his immediate focus.
Elsewhere, Pune FC moved to third by beating ONGC 1-0 in New Delhi, while East Bengal were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Sporting Clube de Goa.