Shillong Lajong’s remarkable progress after losing their first three I-League matches continued with a battling 1-0 win over Churchill Brothers at the JN Stadium in Shillong on Sunday.
Aser Dipanda Dicka scored the only goal of the game in the second half, pouncing on a loose ball after Churchill goalie Priyant Singh spilled a regulation take from a cross. At the other end, Lajong goalkeeper Vishal Kaith was a picture of confidence, denying the away side atleast three clear-cut opportunities.
For Shillong, this was their fourth consecutive win of the tournament, which propelled them to fourth in the table, leapfrogging out-of-sorts champions Bengaluru FC in the process. All their four wins have come at home and Dicka has been on the forefront of it all, scoring six goals.
It was an even contest at the start of the first half with Churchill striker Anthony Wolfe creating problems with his clever runs. The Trinidad and Tobago striker came close to putting his side in the lead too after creating space for himself in the box, only to blast his shot over the bar.
Once Shillong found their footing in the game, Churchill’s defence were under considerable amount of pressure. Isaac Vanmalsawma was deadly with his crossing and Dicka was a menacing presence in the area.
Churchill still had the occasional chance. Adil Khan’s well-directed header from a free-kick was stopped by Kaith’s smart reflexes. At the other end, Priyant Singh’s handling was sloppy. Dicka was quick to cash in on a gift from the Churchill goalie to put his side in the lead.
Even though Churchill managed to test Kaith a couple of more times late in the game, Lajong held on to their lead, and were a constant threat going forward.
Brief scores:
- Shillong Lajong 1 (Aser Dipanda Dicka) beat Churchill Brothers 0