SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC made it two away wins in a row after they beat Mumbai FC 3-2 in the sixth round I-League match in Pune on Wednesday.
Goals for Lajong came from Taisuke Matsugae and a brace from Man-of-the-Match Cornell Glen whereas Mumbai had Sandjar Ahmadi and Ritesh Perambara on the score sheet.
Shillong Lajong could not have wished for a better start after Taisuke Matsugae opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a brilliant display exposing the weak Mumbai backline as he went past both Nicholas Rodrigues and Perambara before putting the ball in the bottom corner past Mumbai custodian Kunal Sawant.
The hosts then got back on level terms in the 15th minute after Kamaljit Kumar delivered a beautiful through ball to Afghanistan international Ahmadi, who then put his shot past Lajong goalkeeper Vinay Singh.
Both teams could not hold possession and made sloppy passes, even though there were a few sparkling attacks on both sides.
Seikhohao Tuboi could have put the visitors in front again but he missed a sitter from just outside the six-yard box after Sawant spilled Boithang Haokip’s thunderous strike.
The first half ended 1-1 even as both teams put pressure on each other.
The second half started the same way with both teams creating chances.
It took Lajong 59 minutes into the game for them to get back in front after Glen swept past the Anwar Ali, who could not catch up to the Trinidadian’s run, and fired the ball into the net.
After this SLFC kept on pressing, looking for their third goal and they were rewarded in the 78th minute after Glen found his second.
A defensive mistake from Ashutosh Mehta was capitalised by Glen, who exposed Ali once again to get Lajong’s third.
Mumbai FC then managed to scare the visiting team through a goal in stoppage time from Perambara, but it was all too late as the match ended in SLFC’s favour.
Match official Anthony Elvis had a busy day having to control the two teams; Jibon Singh, Ali and Zodingliana found were yellow-carded while Mumbai FC’s Haroon Amiri was sent off for punching Lajong skipper Minchol Son.
With this win the Reds move up to fifth position with eight points from six games and Mumbai FC are in seventh place with six points from as many matches.
