Thousands of away fans likely to throng JN Stadium for NE derby on Sunday
SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC will do all they can to make life difficult for title aspirants Aizawl FC when the two sides face off in the Northeast derby here on Sunday evening.
A win or even a draw will ensure Aizawl bag the coveted I-League title only in their second campaign thus becoming the first side from the region to do so. For Lajong, who have already cemented the fifth place, a victory will swell their points tally and may even take them to 4th spot if Bengaluru FC lose to Churchill Brothers on Saturday.
Such is the hype surrounding the match that special arrangements are being made to accommodate the thousands of Aizawl fans expected to travel to the Lajong fortress to cheer their side.
However, Lajong are determined to break the “Mizo hearts” on Sunday if one goes by the words of the club management which interacted with media persons here on Wednesday.
The Reds have much to play for on Sunday and are eager to put their best foot forward in the derby game. Even if the Bengaluru-Churchill equation does not work out in Lajong’s favour, the club would want to end their best ever season on a high note.
The first team from the North East in the I-League is guaranteed to end the year no lower than fifth, which would be their highest finish.
Speaking at the press conference on Wednesday, Shillong Lajong Club advisor and former player Jeremy Wahlang said Aizawl will have to fight tooth and nail in Shillong.
“As a football fan and a North Easterner, I would love Aizawl to win the title, but that can’t happen at our expense. Lajong are not going to give away an inch and I hope we’re going to break a few Aizawl hearts by winning on Sunday,” Wahlang asserted.
Club general manager Habamutlang Lyngdoh said that the team is thrilled to have performed as well as they have this season and that there are stark differences in the objectives of Lajong and Aizawl.
“Our philosophy is based on developing North East football talent,” Lyngdoh said. “This season we have regularly fielded between 7 and 8 under-22 players in the starting line-up. And the bulk of our players are from the North East. Some of our youngsters have played in more than 40 I-League matches thus far and there aren’t many other teams that can say that,” he said.
The pride that the team can take in their efforts this season was summed up by Wahlang, who said, “Fifth place is a great achievement. This is a young side that we believe in and who have been together for a long time. We were a little apprehensive at the start of the season, but we can’t take anything away from the young guys and next year we have to go one step further.”
“The support of the Lajong faithful through thick and thin has been of fundamental importance in the success of the club,” he said and added that come Sunday SLFC expects its followers to far outnumber the visitors’ supporters at the JN Stadium.
While Aizawl fans can purchase A-category tickets specially set aside for them at the Lajong counter at SSA Ground in Polo, Lajong fans can pick up their tickets at Sports Spirit, MUDA Complex Police Bazaar; Meba Stationery, Jingkieng; Meghalaya Print, Malki; and The Mobile Centre, Police Bazaar apart from the venue.
The match is scheduled to start at 7 pm.