Meghalaya kept their heads above water in the U-20 Men’s National Football Championship by edging Rajasthan 3-2 in their Group F match in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh today.
Meghalaya had to bounce back from their one-sided defeat to Mizoram two days ago and took a 2-0 lead in the first half. However, Rajasthan staged a comeback to draw level in the second half before a Willbeson Jaba winner sealed the deal in stoppage time.
Coach Jeffrey Warlarpih made five changes to the starting XI from the previous match, bringing on Hubert James Lyngdoh, Shimpor Lyngwar, Wanshwadame Diengdoh, Wanboklang Wahlang and Iashanbok Buhphang in place of Nickyboy Swer, Firstborn Roy Khongsti, Ronald Kharkongor, Chibaitki Pamthied and Khainkupar Iawphniaw.
Richie Kharbani (28′) ran diagonally from the right to the left but swerved round to take a shot with his right foot that he aimed low past the goalkeeper for the first goal.
Iashanbok (44′) then received a gentle cross from Willbeson, chested it down, took a couple of steps out of the box and fired it again past the goalkeeper’s outstretched right arm.
Disastrously, Meghalaya twice in the second half to Sameer Gurung (51′) and Aashish Sarkar (73′) and Rajasthan missed out on the lead by a couple of inches when a shot later hit the crossbar.
The match meandered on and Meghalaya saw their hopes of a quarterfinal place evaporating as anything other than a win would have ended their chances.
Soon after the fourth official signalled seven minutes of stoppage time, though, Willbeson (90’+1) was passed the ball and, after looking up to be sure of the target, unleashed a left-footer that sailed over four members of the opposition and into the back of the net for the winning strike.
Meghalaya’s final group game will be against Maharashtra on Thursday. Earlier today, Maharashtra lost 3-2 to Mizoram, meaning that they have no hope of topping the table.
Meghalaya will have to defeat Maharashtra by an absolutely massive margin and hope that Rajasthan beat Mizoram. That way these three teams will all have 6 points each, with head-to-head and goal difference then coming into play.
