Lajong FC thrash Bengal by solitary goal

 KOLKATA, MAY 12: Playing away from home crowd Shillong Lajong FC showed nerve of steel as it defeated the Kolkata football giant East Bengal in their home turf when Lajong’s Taiksuke Matsugae scored the only goal of Sunday’s game just five minutes after play off.  This is also the first away win for the Shillong boys in the I-League 2012-13 season.

Sho Kamimura and Sushil played  upfront for Lajong , while Minchol Son was paired up with Wailad at the back and Taisuke teamed up with Boithang giving the midfield the fire it needed playing against the Bengal team.

Lajong  immediately produced the first real opportunity of the game when Japanese recruit Taisuke Matsugae put his side ahead, giving them an early lead with an absolute wonder strike in the sixth minute.

Lajong started as the brighter side and better opportunities came its way while East Bengal failed to produce any meaningful chances.

Thirty minutes into the game, both the teams were creating chances for themselves till the half time with Lajong holding to its solitary goal lead.

As the second half got underway, Thangboi Singto’s men were all charged up looking for a leveler but East Bengal found it tough to get past a determined Shillong Lajong defense.

Without a doubt, the Kolkata outfit has been on a good run, following their AFC campaign, and midway through the half, fashioned their best chances to level the score but were lacking that extra push to score a leveler.

Trevor Morgan made a couple of changes to his side in the second half and brought on Barisic for Baljit Sahni,  Edeh Chidi for Robin Singh and Penn Ikechukwu Orji for Manandeep Singh in the sixty-ninth, seventy and seventy-sixth minutes respectively.

While Thangboi Singto brought on Eugeneson Lyngdoh for Samson in the seventy-one  minute and Portuguese sensation Edinho Junior for Japanese forward Sho Kamimura in the seventy-two minute.

As the game wore on, Lajong defended their lead against the mighty East Bengal till the final whistle, giving the visitors its first away win of the season.

Shillong Lajong ended its I-League campaign in eleventh place with twenty-eight points while East Bengal is placed in the third position with forty-seven points.- By Our Reporter