By Our Reporter
Shillong, Sep 13: Langsning were seconds away from a huge win against Shillong Lajong and what would have been first place in the Shillong Premier League 2025 but the defending champions snatched a point with an equaliser in the sixth minute of second half stoppage time in an exhilarating 2-2 draw at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, on Saturday.
The two local titans met on a real Super Saturday in a much-anticipated clash. Either would have gone to the top of the standings had they won and for most of the match it looked like that team would be Langsning, who scored early through Dajiedlang Wanshnong (5’) before Nikelson Bina doubled the lead in the 57th. However, SLFC pulled one back via Riborlang L Lyngkhoi (62’) and then came the equaliser, the product of a melee with the goal going to Mebannangkiew Thabah (90’+6).
The result does not have an impact on the standings, with Lajong remaining in third (now on 9 points) and Langsning fourth (8). Lajong are tied with Mawlai but the latter have more goals scored (12 to 10); their goal difference is tied at +7 each.
Langsning looked to hit their opponents hard and fast and it paid off in just the fifth minute.
Dajiedlang put in a sliding tackle on defender Ronald Kharkongor, won the ball, picked himself up off the pitch and took a shot past the outstretched glove of Lajong goalkeeper Lakpa Lama.
Nelson Rymbai later pulled off a cracker of a shot but Lakpa managed to get down in time and put the ball out for a corner.
From then on Lajong started to come back into the game, with Deibormame Tongper dragging one just wide in the 39th minute before Emanbha Marbaniang had one denied by Langsning keeper Rajat Paul Lyngdoh a couple minutes later.
Refreshed by the halftime break, Langsning came out steaming again and got their second goal before the hour mark.
Nikelson, who had only come on as a substitute a few minutes before, turned in a corner that looked to have touched a Lajong defender before popping into the back of the net.
With a two-goal cushion Langsning really should have looked to slow the game down and keep possession as much as possible but found themselves always chasing after Lajong as the reigning champs attacked time and again.
A mistake in defence saw the ball go to Deibormame but it was spinning around on the surface and he could not get on top of it to pull off a shot. That mattered little, though, as Riborlang scored with a fantastic ball from outside the box that sailed out of Rajat Paul’s reach a minute later.
Langsning desperately held on to their reduced lead and they had almost secured 3 points in the bag but conceded a free-kick deep in stoppage time.
The ball fell into a small empty space close to goal, with Langsning unable to clear and Lajong at first unable to score. In the melee that resulted an SLFC boot nudged it towards goal and Mebannangkiew was on hand to send it flying into the net from a couple of feet away.
Lajong celebrated like they had won and, indeed, from the position they were in their joy was understandable. All in all, this will go down as one of the best matches of the SPL 2025.
On Monday there will be more to come with Mawlai taking on Mylliem at 4:30pm.