Shillong, August 26: Shillong Lajong’s head coach, José Hevia, offered a candid assessment of his team’s performance following their disappointing 3-0 loss to North East United FC in the first Durand Cup semi-final at the JN Stadium.
Analysing the reasons behind the defeat, Hevia pointed out that the first goal may have resulted from a miscommunication on the field. However, he acknowledged that the team lost its momentum in the second half, leading to a lackluster performance.
In contrast, the NEUFC coach was in high spirits after their victory and even enjoyed the challenge posed by the passionate crowd, which was firmly behind Lajong. “We loved it. It was fun. We are brothers,” he said, reflecting on how his team thrived despite the home advantage for their opponents.
NEUFC secured their spot in the Durand Cup final by scoring three goals, two in the first half and one in the second, in what was ultimately a comfortable victory.
It may be mentioned that this was only the second time Shillong Lajong reached the semi-finals of the Durand Cup, with their previous appearance in 2011.