East Bengal win first match in city
SHILLONG: Third time proved not to be the charm for Shillong Lajong FC as the home team lost 0-4 to East Bengal in a fourth round I-League match at the JN Stadium, Polo, on Wednesday.
This match has the dubious distinction of being SLFC’s worst home defeat in their time in the I-League.
The first two home matches saw the Reds draw 0-0 against Pune and lose 0-1 to Sporting Clube de Goa, but the thrashing received at the hands of the Kolkata side came as a shock to the hosts, with their coach Thangboi Singto saying that this loss has to be seen as a wake-up call.
This was East Bengal’s first match of the season and they could not have had a better start. Having never beaten Lajong in Shillong before and after resting several players following AFC Cup action, Marcos Falopa’s men outperformed SLFC under the clear afternoon skies.
No player was found wanting during the 90 minutes, but strikers Edeh Chidi and Man-of-the-Match James Moga were the stand-out performers.
Moga opened the scoring in the 19th minute following a corner taken by Lalrindika Ralte. The tall South Sudanese footballer was unmarked and headed the ball past the goalkeeper, Vinay Singh.
Chidi almost made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute, but Lajong’s C Lallawmzuala saved the day, pulling the ball back after the Nigerian striker had to negotiate a tight angle after beating Vinay to a lobbed ball on the right flank.
The last minute of play in the first half eventually saw the visitors double the lead.
Shillong Lajong had a half chance at the opposite end that failed and the Red & Golds were quick to counter. The ball was lofted forward and Chidi sprinted past his marker, netting the ball with a blast off his left foot.
Both teams started the second half positively, but East Bengal soon showed that were not content with the two-goal margin.
Cavin Lobo made it 3-0 in the 54th minute with a terrific strike that caught everyone unawares. On the right flank, but well outside the box, he curled in a beauty that left Vinay firmly rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into the net.
While Lajong looked good in spurts, they simply could not keep up with the fleet-footed EB strikers.
Moga earned his brace just past the hour mark after receiving a lofted ball down the centre of the pitch and the unmarked striker powered in a right-footer low to the left of the goalie.
The home team were not completely outplayed and had their chances. There was some attractive footwork on show, but these were marred by sloppy football.
After having a rough last couple of matches, Cornell Glen looked like he may be finding his feet here in Shillong. Boithang Haokip and Subash Singh also had their moments, but even these three made errors that stopped Lajong from making the match a real contest.
EB coach Falopa was thoroughly happy with the way his boys performed.
“Our team controlled the ball well, kept good possession. The players have really shown their quality today,” the Brazilian, in his first I-League match in charge, said at the post-match press conference..
Giving credit to the visiting team, Singto admitted that Lajong were “beaten by a better team.”
Without sugar-coating the situation, the SLFC coach said that there are areas where Lajong have to improve upon.
“Conceding on set-pieces is something we have to work on,” he said. “We all have to pull up our socks, including me. We have to be more disciplined in all areas and convert our chances.”
Singto said that it is difficult for the players when the side are two or three goals down but he expects them to be professional and still give their best shot.
Japanese striker Taisuke Matsugae was missing from the game after picking up an injury in the last match, but Singto said it was imperative that “we do the best we can with the players we have.
“The onus is on us to deliver and not to disappoint the fans,” he concluded.
Lajong will play their next match against United SC here on October 19.
