Aser Pierrick Dipanda Dicka scored an 78th minute penalty – his 10th goal of the season – to help Shillong Lajong earn a point and help hold on to the fourth place in the table, increasing their lead over fifth-placed Bengaluru FC by three points at Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday.
However, Mohun Bagan claimed top spot in the table, jumping above Aizawl on the basis of a superior head-to-head record.
Mohun Bagan struggled to create openings in in the final third of the pitch and it was Lajong who threatened in the first half. Dicka came close with a turn and shot from just outside the box. The home side came tantalisingly close through Samuel Shadap’s shot, which Bagan keeper Debjit Majumder tipped onto the bar with a diving effort.
At the other end, Lajong keeper Vishal Kaith also did well to parry Pritam Kotal’s header. The intensity of the two teams dropped in the second half. With a quarter of an hour to go, Jeje Lalpekhlua deftly lobbed the ball over Kaith to open the scoring. Just two minutes later, Sehnaj Singh was found guilty of handling the ball in the area. Dicka’s powerful penalty gave Majumder no chance despite the latter diving the right way.
Bouyed by the equaliser, Bipin Singh almost gave his side the lead with a powerful strike from outside the area but the ball missed the net by a few inches. Lajong have 24 points. Bagan and Aizawl are tied at 30 points.
Brief score:
Shillong Lajong 1 (Aser Pierrick Dipanda Dicka) drew with Mohun Bagan 1 (Jeje Lalpekhlua)