SLFC face Churchill today
SHILLONG: Following a well-earned point at home with an away victory, Shillong Lajong FC will be looking for their first home win of the season at the JN Stadium, Polo, on Monday to play a beleaguered Churchill Brothers in a seventh round I-League match at 4:30pm.
The Reds rallied to hold United SC at home and then backed it with a 3-2 away win against Mumbai FC to breathe easy after a dismal show in two prior home matches.
That Churchill, last year’s champions, are yet to register a win so far this season make Lajong’s prospects brighter.
Moreover, the win against Mumbai in Pune was just what the doctor ordered for the Reds, whose performance at home this season has left much to be desired.
“The win against Mumbai FC was a big boost for us and now the team is hungry for home success,” SLFC coach Thangboi Singto said during a press conference on Saturday.
The Lajong coach asserted that the team are in good spirits at the moment and “the boys are gelling well”.
Singto, however, cautioned that despite an indifferent form this season, Churchill are a force to be reckoned with.
Churchill coach Mariano Dias, however, sounded less than optimistic about Monday’s encounter against the home side.
“We are going through rough weather,” he said
Dias blamed injuries to key players like Henri Antchouet (striker) and Hugo Machado (midfielder) for their dismal show this season.
“We are anxiously waiting for a win,” he said.
Injuries are not the only obstacle Churchill face on Monday. The “difficult weather conditions” have also posed a problem for the visitors when they played another local side, Rangdajied, in their last encounter here.
“We arrived three days ahead of the match to better adapt to the weather conditions,” Dias said.