Lajong FC perform another giant-killing act
One more giant downed, Lajong FC’s dream run continues.
One more giant downed, Lajong FC’s dream run continues.
The Shillong club made history on Wednesday sinking Churchill Brothers’ hopes of making their maiden Federation Cup final.
Considering that they had greater possession for most of the time, Lajong FC deservedly took the honours. The reigning I-League champions paid for a fluffed penalty, which showed that Okolie Odafa too does miss sometimes, and didn’t have an answer to some gallant defending and goalkeeping.
This is also the first time in the history of the Federation Cup that a team from the North-East reached the final.
Lajong FC, set up in 1983 but in their first year at the top level of Indian football, now meet the winners of Thursday’s East Bengal-Mohun Bagan semi-final. But they will miss James Gbilee and Daniel Bidemi due to double bookings.
There couldn’t have been an earlier indication of Lajong FC’s intentions than striker Anil Gurung’s attempted back-volley in the first minute.
What followed was an engrossing 30 minutes of action that finally saw the Shillong club forging ahead.
Again it was the phenomenal Seikhohau Tuboi who stole the limelight.
On the half-hour mark, Churchill defenders Naoba Singh and Rowilson Rodrigues failed to properly clear Bidemi’s long cross from the right, allowing the 20-year-old Manipur to tap home past goalkeeper Lalit Thapa. That was preceded by midfielder Ogba Kalu getting wrong-footed in an attempt to drive past Lajong FC goalie Gumpe Rime.
Stunned by the goal, Churchill Brothers pressed hard but by then, the Lajong FC midfield had withdrawn to defend as a team. Odafa missed an opportunity, off a Charan Rai corner-kick, but soon enough he got another when he was tripped inside the box by Bidemi and Ailad Kinta. Referee Rathin Mukherjee pointed to the spot but it was Lajong FC’s day after all and a moment of reckoning for Rime, their 33-year-old veteran.
Odafa took the spot-kick but Rime lunged to his left to parry the ball and before the Nigerian could take another shot, the Lajong defence cleared their lines.
Buoyed by the save, Lajong tormented the Churchill Brothers’ defence — one which hadn’t conceded a goal in this tournament till Tuesday. In the 76th minute, Tuboi brilliantly spooned a Boithang Haokip’s free-kick but it landed on the roof of the goal.
Churchill Brothers coach Carlos Pereira supplanted the ineffective Nascimento Silviera with Japanese Dan Ito but faced with a stubborn defence, the Goa team couldn’t manage a breakthrough.
In second-half injury-time, Odafa’s placement from close went wide. This night was one for the underdogs.