I-League 2017 Subash's late header gives NEROCA FC third win of season
Source: The Sangai Express / Goal.com

Shillong, December 24 2017: NEROCA FC prevailed 1-0 over Shillong Lajong in what was a tight I-League encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Shillong on Saturday.

Singam Subash Singh scored the match winner with a header in the 83rd minute for the team from Manipur .

It was NEROCA who began well, testing the Lajong defence in the initial 10 minutes.

However, the first solid chance of the game went to Lajong in the 16th minute when Laurence Doe found Kynsai inside the box but the latter failed to control the pass, allowing the keeper to collect .

11 minutes later, Samuel Lalmuanpuia sent Aiman Al-Hagri clear on goal with an inch-perfect through-ball but his shot went whiskers wide of the post .

Shillong Lajong custodian Phurba Lachenpa was forced to make a brilliant save from Kallon Kiatamba’s goal-bound header from a corner just past the half-hour mark .

However, for the remainder of the half, the play was bogged down in midfield and clear cut chances were at a premium, with both sides going into the break level .

The home side started the second half better and Samuel Lalmuanpuia sent a shot over from inside the box after capitalising on a mistake by the NEROCA defence .

NEROCA brought on Akhlidin for Turkovic soon after and the next chance of note went to them in the 58th minute when Felix Chidi latched on to a mistake from Rakesh Pradhan and took a swipe at goal.

However, his shot lacked power and precision .

At the other end, Samuel almost connected to a brilliant cross from Al-Hagri but it was not to be for the Lajong attacker.

The home side then took off Kynsai for Ivory Coast striker Abdoulaye Koffi but it was NEROCA who threatened the Lajong goal next, with Phurba making a good save to deny Felix Chidi in the 73rd minute .

Shillong Lajong were then left cursing their luck after Aiman Al-Hagri struck the post twice in two minutes .

First, he deceived a defender and saw his shot from inside the box clatter off the woodwork in the 74th minute.

Two minutes later, he hit the crossbar with a header, much to the dismay of the home faithful .

They were made to rue those chances when 27-year-old striker Singam Subash Singh got in between Novin and Juho in the Lajong penalty box and headed in Pritam Singh’s cross from left .

NEROCA held on to record their third win of the season and are now up to third in the table, leafrogging Shillong Lajong in the process, with 10 points from five games.

Comment