Brazilian recruit Douglas Tardin scored yet another hat-trick but Shillong Lajong FC had to split points with Sreenidi Deccan FC in a 5-5 draw in Hyderabad today.
The high-scoring battle at the Deccan Arena that lasted nearly a hundred minutes saw fortunes fluctuating at short intervals. Lajong took the lead five times but the hosts scored an equaliser on each and every occasion, forcing the visitors to share the spoils.
Lajong started with three changes to the first XI from the win against SC Bengaluru five days ago, bringing in Kenstar Kharshong, Renan Paulion De Souza and Sheen Sohktung in place of Saveme Tariang, Gladdy Kharbuli and Figo Syndai.
The 10 goals, the most in an I-League game this season, were equally divided five in each half. The first five came in the opening 21 minutes itself and it remained 3-2 in favour of Lajong for the next 50 minutes. Five more goals arrived between the 71st and the seventh minute of stoppage time as both sides had to settle for a point.
For the visitors, Douglas netted a second hat-trick in as many games and took the lead in the Golden Boot race with nine goals. The Brazilian picked up from where he left off in the 5-0 win over SC Bengaluru and opened the scoring in the fourth minute after pickpocketing Faysal Shayesteh in the box and slotting into the bottom corner on the turn.
David Castañeda led the charge for Sreenidi Deccan, scoring their first goal in the 11th minute with an exquisite first-time finish from an Abhishek Ambekar cross from the left. Just four minutes later, Tardin poached his second after his countryman Renan picked him out in the penalty area with a cushioned header.
Castañeda equalised again for Sreenidi with the next kick of the game, literally. Directly from the kick-off, he caught Lajong goalkeeper Manas Dubey off his line and audaciously let it fly from the centre spot, with the ball landed perfectly under the crossbar to make it 2-2.
But once again, SLFC retook the advantage five minutes later. A bullet strike from the top of the box by Buam blitzed past Ubaid CK’s near post and into the net.
It was only until the 71st minute until the goalfest resumed again. Rosenberg Gabrial scored Sreenidi’s third equaliser with a thumping header off another Ambekar cross. That only reignited Lajong’s spark as they churned out another goal. Buam continued his sizzling work down the right, getting the better of Eli Sabiá before cutting it back for Douglas near the by-line. The Brazilian had ample time to take a touch and thrash it home from four yards out to complete his second hat-trick of the season.
Then it was the turn of Sreenidi’s Brazilian to join the scoresheet. William Alves, who had just come on three minutes earlier, earned a penalty after being pulled down by Renan. He stepped up and sent Dubey the wrong way for Sreenidi’s fourth equaliser in the 82nd minute.
And still the drama was far from over. Neither team learned from their defensive frailties, nor were they keen on settling for a draw. Substitute Gladdy scored Lajong’s fifth in the 91st minute when he headed Kynsailang Khongsit’s cross and then converted the rebound after Aryan Lamba had saved it. But for the fifth time, Sreenidi fought back. Ambekar, who had two assists already, got another one of sorts when his long throw was kicked into the Lajong goal by Aman Ahlawat with a miscued clearance.
While the scoreline didn’t change again, the drama continued until the last kick. Sreenidi were reduced to 10 as Mohammad Sajid Dhot was sent off for a last-man challenge on Douglas. Then the visitors had the ball in the net for the sixth time as Ahlawat’s header was turned into the goal by a Lajong shirt at the far post but the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside.
Both sides climbed one place each on the table with the point. After nine games each, Lajong are now fourth with 13 points, while Sreenidi are sixth with 11.
The Reds stay on the road to take on Namdhari FC next Saturday.
