Shillong Lajong FC and United SC of Kolkata played out a 1-1 draw in their Group B match of the Second Division League at Third Ground, Polo, here today.
Everbrightson Mylliempdah scored the opener for the hosts in the 23rd minute followed by the equaliser by Subrata Murmu 10 minutes later.
This was Lajong’s first home game of the Second Division, the league below the I-League, after two wins on the road.
Although the Reds looked good for the first quarter of the game, their performance seemed to decline steadily after that and they will be a little disappointed not to have given the home fans a win.
Nevertheless, they stay at the top of Group B with 7 points now to United’s 5. East Bengal reserves defeated Diamond Rock of Madhya Pradesh 3-1 in the other fixture today. EB now have 4 points and Diamond Rock 0.
Coach Bobby Lyngdoh Nongbet made just the solitary change to the starting line-up: bringing in Mylliempdah in place of Babysunday Marngar, though the latter did come on in the second half as a substitute for the injured Pursunep.
Mylliempdah scored by getting on the end of a free-kick and tapping the ball in. Lajong came close to scoring more earlier on in the game as well as later in the first half but could not find a way through.
The visitors equalised after a mistake in defence opened things up and Murmu fired the ball past goalkeeper Bishal Lama. That lifted the mood of United but neither side was very impressive in the second half. The Reds had a strong shout for handball in the box towards the end of the contest but the appeal was turned down and it ended all square.
Lajong will next host Diamond Rock on April 19 at the same venue. SLFC won the reverse fixture 1-0 on April 9.
