SHILLONG, July 19: Nangkiew Irat SC notched up a convincing 3-1 win against Malki SC in the 22nd match of the Shillong Premier League 2021-22 at the MFA Turf, Polo Grounds, on Tuesday.
Damehun Syih (45’+2, 57’) and Shaibor Nongrum (69’) put Nangkiew Irat ahead while Khrawkupar Tamu (90’+2) scored Malki’s solitary goal.
These were the first goals that any of these players have scored in this season’s OC Blue SPL.
Malki were earlier placed seventh with 4 points while Nangkiew Irat stood fifth with 5 points.
While there are no changes in the points table, Nangkiew now move closer to fourth-placed Ryntih, who have 9 points.
It appeared as though the first half would end without a goal until Syih found the back of the net with a little help from a Malki player.
Nangkiew had moved forward and a shot on goal was blocked by a defender.
The ball was heading out for a corner but another Malki player tried to keep it in play with a swing of the boot with the unintended consequence that the ball fell straight to Syih, who scored from close range.
Malki started well in the second half with the bulk of the possession and moves forwards, so the second Nangkiew goal came against the run of play.
A chip forward saw Syih set off in pursuit with a defender harrying him.
Malki goalkeeper Sobestar Nongrang came off his line as well but Syih pulled off a neat little tap that beat the custodian and slid across the goal line.
Later, Syih went for the hat-trick – which would have been the first of the season had it gone in – but his strike from outside the box landed just in front of Nongrang and he was unable to gather the ball, which then allowed Nongrum to finish off the job to put Nangkiew Irat ahead with a strong 3-0 lead.
With Malki not having scored in the last three games, it seemed unlikely that that unfortunate statistic would change.
However, Shanbor Marwein came close in the 85th when he hit the upright but it was Tamu who rose above the rest when Malki earned a corner kick in stoppage time to head in a goal that reduced the margin of defeat.
Nongrum could have had two goals in the first half itself but found himself frustrated by Malki defenders and the goalie.
His teammate Rapborlang Marwein also had a screamer just go over the bar on 20 minutes.
Malki, meanwhile, did not look all that likely to score, though Emboklang Nongkhlaw came fairly close in the 18th minute after steaming up the right flank before shooting.
Nongkhlaw was also at the centre of Malki’s best attempt of the day, when he angled the ball across the face of goal and Kyrpadlang Tariang tangled with the Nangkiew goalie Bobbyson Nongtdu.
Tariang was able to get off a shot but this was blocked by Denelson Pyngrope.
On Wednesday, eighth-placed Mawkhar SC (1 point) take on leaders Mawlai SC (14 points) at 4 pm.
