SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC will start their Hero I-League campaign against local rivals and debutants Royal Wahingdoh FC in the first derby of 2014-15 season at the JN Stadium here on Sunday.
The two sides have had a long rivalry in the local tourney -the Shillong Premiere League and Sunday’s match will only take that competition to a newer and higher level.
Ahead of their maiden I-League encounter, the Royals are quietly confident about their prospects by virtue of their decent outing in the recently concluded Federation Cup.
In a pre-match press conference here on Saturday, Royal Wahingdoh coach Santosh Kashyap said that a competitive match would be in store for the soccer fans, who turn up for the first Shillong derby of the season on Sunday.
Though upbeat after the performance of his boys in the Federation Cup, Kashyap drove home a line of caution saying that “the Federation Cup and the I-League are two completely different ballgames.”
Kashyap also said that it would be a completely new game for both the sides and past local league encounters will mean little when the city rivals face each other in the I-League.
Lajong on the other hand had an ‘indifferent’ outing in the Federation Cup going down in all four of their encounters. However, it would be too early to judge the Reds who fielded a rather young team in the Federation Cup with no foreigners at their disposal.
The arrival of Cornell Glen, Minchol Son, Uilliams Souza and newly signed Nigerian central mid-fielder Penn Orji means that Lajong now have at their disposal the armour to better any rival on a given day.
Addressing the media on Saturday Lajong coach Thangboi Singto said that he is confident his side would improve on its last season’s performance.
“A new season means a new beginning…we would definitely want to do better than the last season but we have to be realistic at the same time. We have a lot of young players coming in who recently became Shillong Premier League champions, so we are very hopeful and confident about our prospects,” Singto said.
The Reds finished sixth in the standings last season making it their best I-League season ever.
Interestingly, Lajong might field an all-Indian line-up on Sunday since all of their foreign players have just landed in the city, but the final decision on the playing XI would be made before the match.
It may be mentioned that SLFC managing director Larsing Ming had on Friday hinted on fielding an all Indian side in the first home match.
Singto was accompanied by new team captain Aiborlang Khongjee, who was also a member of ISL team NorthEast United FC and a former Mohun Bagan defender.
Khongjee, who has had a previous stint at the Reds, said he is very happy to be back at his old club and is looking forward to bagging all three points on Sunday.
Rival captain Densill Theobald said his well prepared side is eager to jump into action on Sunday.