Competition
LAJONG PROVE TOO STRONG FOR SALGAOCAR
15 Jan 2014
AIFF Media Team
Shillong Lajong FC 4 (Seikhohao Tuboi – 17th, Redeem Tlang – 37th, Taisuke Matsugae – 46th, Glen Cornell – 63rd)
beat
Salgaocar 0
COCHIN: Shillong Lajong Football Club announced their arrival in Cochin with a resounding 4-0 victory over Salgaocar FC in a Group C match of the Federation Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday (January 15).
While Seikhohao Tuboi and Redeem Tlang scored one each for Lajong in the first half, Taisuke Matsugae scored the third for the Shillong side in the 46th minute. Trinidad and Tobago World Cupper Glen Cornell scored the fourth in the 63rd minute.
Cornell regulated the match at will. He made an impact whenever he received the ball. Off the ball, it was hard to trace him as he stayed omnipresent. His ability to stay away from his marker, shield it and that sudden burst made it all the more difficult for Salgaocar. Add to it the subtle touches, Lajong Coach Thangboi Singto couldn’t have asked for more.
Lajong were off the blocks faster. Indian National team Goalkeeper Karanjit Singh came to Salgaocar’s rescue when he thwarted Cornell’s effort as early as the 5th minute. As Cornell made his way from the right side into the 18-yard box, Karanjit narrowed down the angle and then blocked the former’s placement.
However, ten minutes later a diving Karanjit couldn’t get his hand to Seikhohao Tuboi’s header from bulging the net. Tuboi made full use of all being unmarked as he headed in Redeem Tlang’s cross to perfection.
In the 22nd minute, Lajong’s Lalchhunmawia Fanai sprinted down the left-flank only to be brought down by Nicolau Colaco outside the box. Colaco was booked for the offence.
In the 37th minute, Cornell made his way past the Salgaocar defence and laid the foundation for Subhash Singh. But Subhash failed to double the score as he placed wide.
It didn’t make much of a difference as the very next minute Cornell went past Colaco only for his centre to find Redeem in the clear. Redeem, gleefully made it 2-0.
Post resumption, Cornell started off from where he had left. Immediately after resumption, he followed a Wailadami Passah long-ball but even as his right-footer beat Karanjit, it bounced back off the post.
But that didn’t dishearten Taisuke Matsugae as in the 46th minute, he made it 3-0; his right-footer beating Karanjit hands down.
Perhaps, by the 63rd minute, Cornell felt it was imperative to have his name on the scoring sheet. Almost at will, he scored his Team’s fourth, elegantly lobbing it over a helpless Karanjit. He could have even scored his second in the 73rd minute but his shot sailed over.