By Our Reporter
SHILLONG/Pune: Salgaocar FC ended hosts Shillong Lajong’s five-match unbeaten run in style with a 3-1 drubbing of the Reds in their backyard in a Hero I-League match at the JN Stadium here on Saturday.
The visitors so to say snatched the match away within the first 45 minutes scoring all their goals in the first half. Though Lajong put up a spirited fight in the second half scoring just after the hour mark, it was too late in the day to change the fate of the game.
Salgaocar drew first blood as early as the ninth minute and followed it up with goals in the 23rd and 45th minutes. Lajong’s lone goal meanwhile came in the 62nd minute when Uilliams Souza Silva found the back of the nets.
In the first of the final seven games at home until the end of the season, SLFC coach Thangboi Singto fielded an unchanged line-up from the side that drew with Bharat FC in the last encounter.
The Green and Whites went into the lead in the eigth minute when an Augustine Fernandes free kick caught Lajong custodian Rehenesh TP off his line.
Lajong’s best chance in the first 20 minutes of play came 10 minutes later when a curled free-kick from Uilliams from outside the box was saved brilliantly by rival goalie Karanjit who had to dive to his left to push the ball away.
But the visitors soon doubled the advantage. A long ball found Bikash Jairu in the front and with only one defender to beat, he makes a sprint forward. Rehenesh comes forward and is easily negotiated by jairu who calmly taps the ball in from the left with none between him and the net.
Meanwhile, despite being well marked by the duo of Francis Kasonde and Pawan Kumar, the dangerous Cornell Glen made a brilliant run from the right after a long bal spotted him there. The star striker negotiates two defenders to feed the ball at goalmouth, but a sliding Boithang Haokip was unable to get to the ball at five yards as the hosts sw a chance go begging in the 35th minute.
Three minutes later, Zodiangliana was guilty of crashing the ball on the side of the net from a difficult angle.
Just when it seemed that the hosts were slowly beginning to take control of the proceedings, Salgaocar struck another blow. Douhou Pierre converted in the 45th minute to give his side a 3-0 lead going into the break. A lobbed ball found Douhou inside the box and all he had to do was chip one over Rehenesh.
Crossing over, Lajong came all guns blazing and looked determined to make amends for the wrongs of the first half. The hosts were rewarded for their perseverance when two minutes after the hour mark Uilliams struck after being set up by Glen after the latter was closed down by the Salgaocar defenders inside the box.
Glen himself could have found the back of the net in the 70th minute but saw his left-footed effort go wide of the post. In the stoppage time, Karanjit Singh did well to avert the danger from a Nim Dorjee Tamang header.
Pereira’s men have now gathered 17 points from 15 matches while Shillong Lajong have 13 points from 14 games.
Mohun Bagan beat Pune FC 2-0
Meanwhile, Pune FC suffered their second consecutive defeat, going down 0-2 to Mohun Bagan in an I-League match played at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex here on Saturday.
A goal in each half from Mohun Bagan striker Jeje Lalpekhlua (5th minute) and winger Katsumi Yusa (76th) handed Pune FC their fifth loss of the season and third at home.
Having dropped points, Pune (23 points) stay fifth while Mohun Bagan (31) increased their lead at the top.
With this game, Pune FC ended their home campaign with four wins, three draws and three losses.
Pune FC coach Karim Bencherifa had made four changes for the match, handing starts to Srikanth Ramu, Darko Nikac, Edgar Marcelino and Dhanpal Ganesh.
Pune FC tried hard in the final quarter but fell short and lost the game. (With Inputs from IANS)