Shillong Lajong thrash Mumbay FC 5-0 in Durand Cup

Shillong Lajong FC strengthened its quarter-final prospects in the Durand Cup with a commanding 5-0 win over Mumbay FC in Shillong. Everbrightson Sana scored twice, while Abhay Gurung, Tremiki Lamurong and Figo Syndai completed the rout

Hyderabad: Shillong Lajong FC cruised to a commanding 5-0 win over Mumbay FC in a Group E fixture of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup, played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Saturday to brighten its prospects of reaching the quarter-finals.

Everbrightson Sana led the scoring with a brace, while Abhay Gurung, Tremiki Lamurong and Figo Syndai were also on the scoresheet as the hosts made light work of their visitors from Mumbai in front of a raucous home crowd.

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The result takes Shillong Lajong to the top of Group E with six points from two matches, having won both of its opening fixtures. Langsning FC sits second on four points, with Nongkseh SS&CC third on one point. Mumbay FC, without a point from its two outings so far, remains bottom of the table.

The half took a difficult turn for Mumbay just before the interval. Captain and defensive linchpin Ahmed Faiz Khan was stretchered off after twisting his ankle while clearing a ball in the 45th minute, and within two minutes of his departure, his side’s resistance had been broken.

Lajong struck again, Tremiki collecting the ball inside the box, shifting it away from his marker and slotting a composed finish beyond Yasheel.

Lajong picked up where it left off after the restart, Gurung squandering a good early chance across the face of goal before the third arrived in the 52nd minute, Tremiki turning provider this time, splitting the Mumbay defence for Sana to rifle a first-time finish into the top corner.

Mumbay tried to respond, Afzar Noorani curling narrowly over from the right side of the box in the 56th minute, but any momentum was extinguished when Dhruvmil Pandya’s heavy touch gifted possession back to Lajong in the 64th minute. Sana pounced without hesitation, driving into the box and finishing crisply for his second of the afternoon and his side’s fourth.

In the 88th minute, substitute Manbhakupar Iawphniaw’s cross from the left caused confusion in the Mumbay box, and when Abhay Chhetri’s header failed to clear the danger, fellow substitute Syndai was on hand to nod home the fifth and complete a rout that had been taking shape from the moment Lajong found their opening goal.