Shillong Lajong FC are now third in the standings of I-League 2023-24 after they registered their third consecutive home win, this time a 2-1 result against TRAU of Manipur, at First Ground, Polo, here today.
Robinson Singh (13′) put TRAU into the lead but Hardy Cliff Nongbri (18’P) equalised with a penalty before Thounaojam Thomas Singh (88′) conceded an own goal at the death.
Lajong are having a superb time at the moment and have garnered 12 points from six matches, behind only leaders Mohammedan Sporting on 16 points and Sreenidi Deccan on 13. Although their season started out with three draws, the Reds have upped their game of late, helped, it has to be admitted, by playing at home five times in a row.
Today started well for the visitors as they took the lead through a Robinson (13′) header following a sharp cross by L Deepak Singh. Incidentally, this goal was TRAU’s first in over 500 minutes of action this season.
However, Lajong were unbowed by that and came back at the Manipur club. The ill-fated TRAU, who are bottom of the points table with just 1 to show from seven outings now, then had Sunil B sent off with a direct red card. A deep cross saw the ball go through the TRAU goalkeeper’s gloves and Figo Syndai nailed his shot but Sunil blocked it with his hand, the referee said, though the player protested the decision.
When he finally left the pitch, Nongbri converted the spot kick by striking it low into the corner to level proceedings in the 18th minute.
Playing against 10 men, Lajong were not clinical enough, with striker Abdou Karim Samb guilty of missing a pair of close range chances midway through the half. TRAU, meanwhile, were happy to defend deep and preserve what they could with the odds stacked against them.
It took Lajong till the 85th minute to finally get the winner, a swift counter launched by Everbrightson Mylliempdah freeing up Samb to drive into the box and cut the ball back toward the near post. In an effort to make the block, Thomas put the ball in his own net.
After three matches in the past week, Lajong now get a bit of a breather before they head to Goa to face Churchill Brothers on December 3.
