AIFF Media Team

Shillong Lajong FC 4 (Glen Cornell – 16^th, 53^rd & 90th; Boithang Haokip – 24^th)

beat

Mumbai FC 0

COCHIN: Glen Cornell scored a hat-trick as Shillong Lajong FC made short work of Mumbai FC to end their League engagements in Group C of the 35^th Federation Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cochin on Tuesday (January 21). Lajong won 3-0.

Besides Cornell, Boithang Haokip scored off a scorcher from 30 yards to complete the rout.

The first chance of the match came in the 11^th minute. Lajong’s Lalchhuammawia Fanai sped down the left flank and essayed it for Redeem Thlang but the latter’s shot was deflected for a corner.

The very next minute Mumbai FC’s Henry Ezeh with a sudden burst of speed entered the Lajong box but even as his shot beat Lajong Goalkeeper Vinay Singh, the ball hit the post and bounced back to Vinay’s hands.

The first goal came in the 16^th minute. Mumbai FC Goalkeeper Kunal Sawant brought down Cornell on the edge of the box. Off the resultant penalty, Cornell gleefully converted from the spot.

If the first was scored off a penalty, the second came from around 30 yards -- Boithang Haokip’s scorcher beat a diving Kunal to bulge the net.

On the other hand, Yusif Yakubu could have reduced the margin in the 37^th minute for Mumbai FC but he was timely foiled by an alert Vinay; and then in the 43^rd minute, a dipping Yakubu free-kick deflected off the wall for a corner.

Post resumption, Mumbai FC should have scored from the first attack itself. But Ezeh, all in the clear directed Yakubu’s pass wide.

On the contrary, Cornell was desperate to add more to his tally which he did in the 53^rd minute. Cornell intercepted a Subhash Singh pass and slot it past Kunal.

There was more in store. Cornell completed his hat-trick off a free-kick from just outside the box which beat a diving Kunal in injury time.

The result ensured Lajong finished their engagements on six points while Mumbai FC lost all their matches in the Group.