Shillong Lajong FC held off a Langsning FC charge to win their Shillong Premier League 2023 meeting 3-2 in an exciting third match of the season at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here today.
Lajong scored through Deibormame Tongper (3’), an own goal (8’) and Glady Kharbuli (28’). Langsning’s scorers were Overkindness L Mawnai (45’+2) and Nelson Rymbai (49’).
Lajong ran rings around Langsning in the first half an hour, as the young side took a 3-0 lead only for the more experienced Langsning players to fight back with two goals. They had a golden chance for an equaliser as well but captain Sheen Sohktung had his penalty blocked by SLFC goalkeeper Ngamsamlena Haokip.
The earliest goal of the season so far saw Colinsalmon Lyngdoh hook the ball from the right flank towards Deibormame in the box. The Langsning defenders reacted late and he was able to place the ball neatly into the corner of the net.
No sooner had the opener been scored then the lead was doubled with a Babysunday Marngar cross into the box was put into the net unintentionally by Langsning’s Lukas Syngkli.
The joy increased even further when Glady smashed the third goal in, having to chest the ball down and then aim it around the onrushing Langsning goalkeeper Surjay Kumar Pariyar to make it 3-0 in under 30 minutes.
Langsning looked slow out of the blocks despite the obvious talent within their ranks. Their new coach Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh won the SPL 2022 with Mawlai SC and a number of players in that team have joined him at Langsning. In contrast, Lajong mainly fielded U-21 players who have been gelling well in various youth tournaments in the run-up to the SPL.
Two substitutions were made in the first half itself by Syiemlieh and Langsning finally began to find their feet.
A corner in stoppage time, in what turned out to be the last action of the first half, saw Overkindness get his head strongly to the ball and he found the mark.
Although Lajong still held a cushion going into the break, Langsning were pumped up thanks to that late goal and came out in the second half looking the more threatening side.
Restom Khriam provided the opening early on with his cross tapped in by Nelson to reduce the margin further and Langsning surely would have expected to equalise on the hour when Colinsalmon fouled Maxderidoff Wahlang from behind in the box. Sheen, however, did not place the penalty kick well enough and Ngamsamlena was able to punch it away.
Still, the experience of Langsning was showing but they could not maintain that tempo and the last 20 minutes were fairly even. Importantly for Lajong, their youngsters were able to see out the remaining minutes for an impressive victory, while Langsning, though disappointed, will know that only a few tweaks should get them on the right track.
Tomorrow will see the last match of the first round played between reigning champions Mawlai SC and Ryntih SC at 3pm.
