Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Shillong Lajong FC redeemed their blow hot, blow cold season with a remarkable victory over Pune City FC in a five-goal thriller in the sixth Round of 16 match of the ongoing Super Cup.
The young team from the hills of Meghalaya, showed remarkable composure and tactical finesses to come back from two goals behind to triumph against Pune City FC, who had a great Indian Super League season, placed fourth and reaching the playoffs for the first time.
Shillong Lajong FC who finished sixth in the I-League, now move on to play Kolkata giants and fellow I-Leaguers Mohun Bagan in the quarters.
At the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Pune’s Austrian coach Ranko Popovic lined the Stallions in a 4-5-1 formation with Brazilian talisman Marcelinho as the target man upfront. Shillong Lajong FC gaffer Alison Kharsyntiew went for a 4-4-2 with I-League Emerging Player of the Year and captain Samuela playing behind Ivorian sniper Abdoulaye Koffi.
The match started under heavy underfoot conditions and rain persisted throughout the duration of the match.
The game got its first goal in the 17th minute of the first half itself when Shillong Lajong FC’s South Korean defender Juho Oh fouled Marcelinho outside the Shillong box. In the resultant FC Pune City free-kick, Italian Jonathan Lucca curled a wonderful right-footer into the Shillong Lajong FC goal, beating custodian Nidhin Lal all ends up.
Five minutes later, fellow Brazilian midfielder Diego, snatched a ball away from Shillong Lajong FC’s Novin Gurung inside his own half and unleashed a solo run to find Marcelinho in space outside the Shillong box. The Brazilian took one touch to position the ball and then curled a left-footer to bring up a classy finish.
FC Pune City were up 2-0 and looking to run away with the game when in the 29th minute, Nigerian Odafin snatched a ball outside the FC Pune City box and drilled a pass onto the path of Koffi. The Ivorian slotted home calmly past Pune keeper Vishal Kaith to bring Shillong Lajong FC back into the game.
The half ended 2-1 despite some more enterprise displayed by FC Pune City, mainly led by Marcelinho.
The second half began almost on identical lines of the first, with FC Pune City beginning stronger and the first 15 minutes producing two clear scoring chances for Diego and one for Manuel ‘Lolo’ Toribio for the Stallions. Two great saves from Nidhin Lal, however, kept Shillong Lajong FC in the game and this was going to be crucial at the end.
In the 61st minute, Shillong Lajong FC equalised, quite against the run of play. The goal had two Shillong Lajong FC defenders involved in it. Novin forwarded a ball ahead which was collected in the middle of the FC Pune City half by Sheen, both of whom who had a great game for Shillong Lajong FC on the day.
Sheen on the turn pushed ahead and found an overlapping Rakesh Pradhan with a through pass on the right of the FC Pune City box. The young left back trapped and placed it calmly beyond Vishal Kaith onto the left corner – a clinical finish which would have done any striker proud.
The goal energised Shillong Lajong FC and they continued to pepper the FC Pune City defence with runs down the middle by Samuela, Sheen and Redeem Talang, often finding Koffi and Rakesh Pradhan, who was brilliant with his overlaps throughout, in inviting spaces.
Popovic ringed in the changes bringing in Rohit Kumar for Isaac in the 66th minute and then Chesterpoul Lyngdoh for Ashique in the 74th minute. However, FC Pune City’s frustration was beginning to show as Shillong Lajong FC was blocking everything to throw at them.
Then in the 90th minute, Samuela found Koffi inside the FC Pune City box with a delectable chip and an onrushing Vishal Kaith made contact with Koffi to bring him down and referee Ramaswamy pointed to the spot. The captain drilled in a right-footer past Vishal to close out a remarkable Shillong Lajong FC victory.
