Lajong ready for another kill
Surprises and Lajong FC go hand in hand. With all the giant-killing acts they have pulled off so far, the 26-year-old club surely has forced Indian football to sit up and take notice, reports Somshuvra Laha.
Surprises and Lajong FC go hand in hand.
With all the giant-killing acts they have pulled off so far, the 26-year-old club surely has forced Indian football to sit up and take notice.
Having accounted for East Bengal in the Durand Cup and now, Dempo in the Federation Cup on way to the semifinals, the Shillong club is on a high. Coach Stanly Rozario rates Lajong’s recent feat as the best so far, and says it is a sign of “the team improving”.
“We started with the loss to JCT (1-5) but have come a long distance in proving we are a team to reckon with. This is a big achievement for an upcoming team like ours,” said Rozario, the only Indian coach among the quartet of semifinalists.
“We have been scoring goals regularly. The way we played against Air India in our first match gave us confidence that we could do something great. But we have also let in goals and that remains a worry,” added the former East Bengal coach. Lajong FC have scored five and conceded four goals in the Federation Cup so far and it was by virtue of more goals scored that they pipped Pune FC to the semifinal berth.
They face I-League champions Churchill Brothers in the semifinal on Wednesday and goalkeeper Gumpe Rime feels his team can spring another surprise.
“Joining Lajong has been like a homecoming for me and we have really played well. Our strength is in our unity and youth. I want to spring more surprises,” said the 33-year-old.
“But again, we need to improve our midfield if we have to start winning consistently,” Rime, a veteran of 14 seasons, added.
Defender Daniel Bidemi too feels Lajong FC can make a difference in the coming days. “It feels great to have achieved so many things in such a short time. The talent pool here forced me to join the team and I don’t regret my decision,” he said. “As a senior player I have a huge responsibility. We can only get better with more experience. This Cup is like a stepping stone for us,” the Nigerian added.
For strikers Anil Gurung and Seikhohau Tuboi, lifting the title can only justify the hard work put in by the team. “Great effort has gone into building this team. The Cup is our ultimate aim.”