Shillong Lajong FC shocked former champions Gokulam Kerala FC 3-1 at the SSA Stadium on Sunday to register their first win in four games, while the Malabarians were handed their first defeat of the season.
Having left the stadium empty-handed, the Kerala side is stuck in second place in the points table with 10 points from five matches. Mohammedan Sporting, who won on Saturday, continue to top the table with 13 points from five outings.
Displaying an impressive performance in front of partisan fans, Shillong Lajong FC took the lead with a clinical header from Daniel Goncalves in the 29th minute. He made the most of a free kick from the left by skipper Hardy Cliff Nongbri, lanky Goncalves jumped to beat the defence and head the ball to the corner of the net.
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Gokulam managed to level the score a couple of minutes before halftime. Off a combined move, in which captain Alex Sanchez played a major role, Francisco Perdomo finished it off in style.
If Gokulam were toying with the idea of going home with at least one point, it suffered a jolt in the 75th minute because of their undoing. As they conceded a penalty, Renan Paulino confidently struck the ball into the left side of the net.
The final nail in the visitors’ coffin was hammered well into the add-on time by Hardy when he took the issue beyond doubt scoring the third goal for his team. The winners now have taken their points tally to six from four matches.
Sreenidi Deccan rout TRAU
Jagdeep Singh’s brace headlined Sreenidi Deccan Football Club’s smooth 5-0 victory over Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) in their I-League match here at the Kalyani Stadium on Sunday.
Jagdeep’s effort and one goal each from Gurmukh Singh, Lalromawia and David Castaneda powered Deccan to their highest-ever victory margin in a competitive game.
Both sides traded blows in the opening period, but it was Deccan, who created the better chances.
The opening goal came from a Faysal Shayesteh corner, which was not dealt with by TRAU and the loose ball fell to defender Gurmukh. He did well to hit the goal from a close range in the 41st minute.
The second half was all about Deccan, who dominated the proceedings from the start to the finish. In fact, the majority of play in the second half took place in the TRAU half.
In the 48th minute, right-back Jagdeep’s cross caught out TRAU goalkeeper Kabir at his near post and he could only succeed in bundling it into his own net to make it 2-0.
Jagdeep then doubled his tally and tripled his team’s with an individual effort to make it 3-0 in the 57th minute.
Midfielder Lalromawia piled further misery on TRAU in the 66th minute as he won possession near the penalty box and rifled in a shot to make it 4-0.
The substitute Castaneda added one more goal in the stoppage time with a comfortable right-footed finish for the fifth goal.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI)