I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Bekay Bawar and Seityasen Singh helped Royal Wahingdoh FC come from a one goal deficit to beat Shillong Lajong FC 2-1 at the JLN Stadium in Shillong on Sunday.

It was a great start for the Royals to their first season in the Hero I-League and they had to dig deep in order to overcome their competition in the first Shillong derby of the year.

SLFC took the lead in the 15th minute thanks to a Boithang Haokip free kick that clipped the head of Wahingdoh defender Lalchawnkima on its way into the net.

However, that was the high point for the home team, who had to put up with constant attacks from their opposition.

RWFC had a wealth of chances but could not convert. Bekay, Jackichand Singh and Seityasen were some of the key players for them, but Rehenesh TP had to perform consistently well in front of the net to keep them at bay.

It looked like the Reds would go into the break 1-0 until Bekay rocketed a shot from long distance into the back of the net, leaving Rehenesh a bystander.

Three minutes after the restart Seityasen made it 2-1 after he was fed by Jackichand from deep on the right, with the No. 11 benefiting from a bit of luck as the ball came off the crossbar before crossing the line.

Lajong coach Thangboi Singto made a double change before 60 minutes, bringing on Cornell Glen – their only foreigner on the roster – and Durga Boro.

Glen had a good chance a few minutes later but, even though he was unmarked, the Trinidadian World Cupper struck it wide from inside the box.

Nikhil Bernard also managed to make a couple of excellent saves in the last 20 minutes or so, while Lajong’s Seiminlen Doungel missed a sitter in the 70th minute.

The game went back and forth from then on, with neither team able to do anything decisive, but it was a resounding success for Wahingdoh on their entrance into the prestigious Hero I-League.

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