Rangdajied United FC defeated Nangkiew Irat SC 3-1 in the 18th match of the OC Blue Shillong Premier League 2021-22 at Third Ground, Polo, here today.
Donboklang Lyngdoh (52’, 77’) and Wanlamsuk Nongkhlaw (90’+1) scored for RUFC and Overkindness Lyngdoh Mawnai (74’) for Nangkiew Irat. Now with four goals to his name, Donboklang has emerged as the lead scorer of the OC Blue SPL this season.
Before today, Nangkiew Irat and Rangdajied both had 5 points each and the same goal difference of 0 but Nangkiew were ahead in fourth place in the points table on goals scored (5 to 3).
After a fairly tame first half, Rangdajied bagged the lead less than 10 minutes after the restart. Mawnai headed a ball towards his goalkeeper, Guidle Syiemlieh, but, at the same time, RUFC’s Wallambha Kharpran and Nangkiew Irat’s Denelson Pyngrope were also vying for the ball, which then came off Kharpran’s body and fell to Donboklang, who executed the goal neatly.
Nangkiew Irat have not beaten Rangdajied in the SPL since 2014 but they did not lose spirit after going behind. Two free-kicks were unsuccessful but Mawnai scored off the third, aiming a beautiful curling shot that went over the wall and into the net.
However, parity lasted just three minutes as Mawnai then fouled a Rangdajied player in almost the same spot but at the other end of the pitch. This time Donboklang stepped up for the free-kick and left Syiemlieh rooted to the spot with his perfectly-placed strike.
Just to make absolutely sure of the result, Rangdajied pressed for another goal and found it when Nongkhlaw headed in a Raikutshisha Buam cross in stoppage time, a great example of teamwork between the two substitutes.
Rangdajied thus scored as many goals in this match as they had in the previous four. It was a much-needed victory after a couple of disappointing outings and it put them back in the top half of the table – they jumped two places to third, now with 8 points to Langsning FC’s 7, though the latter still have a game in hand. Nangkiew Irat, meanwhile, dropped one position to fifth.
Earlier, although the action was a little meandering, the first half did have a few highlights.
Donboklang almost got a goal in the 34th minute but he sliced his shot and it went over the crossbar. A few minutes before, Rapborlang Marwein of Nangkiew Irat went agonisingly close with a long-range attempt and, just before that, his team mate Banshan Nongdhar impressed with some nifty footwork close to the Rangdajied box but his pass was a bit of a let down.
The next match will be on Thursday where we will witness a Mawlai Derby between Ryntih SC and Mawlai SC, who are the table toppers. Mawlai currently lead Ryntih 12 points to 9.
