I-League Media Team
SHILLONG: Salgaocar FC could not have had a better start to their Hero I-League match against Shillong Lajong FC when they scored three goals in the first half, ultimately winning the contest 3-1 here on Saturday.
Lajong’s defence was lacklustre almost throughout the game and their forwards could not create enough openings to reduce the margin. The Goan outfit scored through Augustin Fernandes, Bikash Jainu and Douhou Pierre before Uilliams Souza Silva got a goal back for the home team.
Fernandes stunned one and all in just the eighth minute of the game when he took a free kick just inside the Lajong half. With Rehenesh TP standing a little in front of the goalmouth, Fernandes spotted the chance and fired on goal. The keeper had to backpeddle furiously and though he got a hand on the ball, he was already over the line when he made contact.
Salgaocar kept up the attack and Rehenesh made amends somewhat in the 11th minute with Jaison Vales’ shot from within the box was blocked by the Lajong custodian.
The hosts had to wait for their first real look-in until seven minutes later when a foul by Salgaocar captain Rocus Lamare on Boithang Haokip saw Uilliams step up for the free kick. The Brazilian delivered a lovely ball in, but the visitors’ goalie Karanjit Singh was up to the task, diving to his left to put the ball out for a corner.
Rehenesh’s day went from bad to worse when the Goans made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute. A long ball forward saw Bikash Jairu sprint head of his lone marker. Rehenesh came out of the goal, but could not make up enough ground, allowing, Jairu to swerve past him to put the ball into an empty net.
After an opposition attack forward by Douhou was rebuffed by Lajong, Cornell Glen, their top scorer this season, got himself into the thick of the action when he struck a shot on goal from distance, which required another display of acrobatics from Karanjit to keep out.
Glen was responsible for another excellent display a couple of minutes later, when he raced past two defenders on the goal line, but his pass towards Boithang was blocked by Salgaocar’s defence.
Just when SLFC looked like they could get back into the game with their attacking football, Douhou pretty much took the contest away from them when he broke past the defence and easily chipped the ball over the onrushing Rehenesh for the third goal on 45 minutes.
In the second half Salgaocar blew a chance for a fourth goal, but it was the Reds who looked more likely to score. A Boithang free kick in the 48th minute was blocked, while a Glen strike in the 70th minute just went wide. Another brilliant save was made by Karanjit in stoppage time after a strong header from Nim Dorjee Tamang was just tipped over the crossbar.
Lajong’s only goal came in the 62nd minute when Glen found himself with the ball in the box, but was surrounded. He then cut the ball back for his team mate and Uilliams thundered the ball in. While that gave the home team and the fans confidence to continue to press on, all of their efforts were ultimately blocked and the Goans left the ground with three points, taking them to sixth in the standings.
Hero Of The Match: Douhou Pierre (Salgaocar FC)
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