Aizawl FC coach Khalid Jamil praised his side’s teamwork after the club won their maiden I-League title. Aizawl were crowned champions on Sunday after they drew 1-1 with Shillong Lajong in their last match, earning the point they needed to pip Mohun Bagan to the title.
Lajong got the first goal of the match to put the pressure on Aizawl, who needed to avoid defeat to win the title. Asked what his halftime team talk was about, when the team was trailing 0-1, Jamil said, “At halftime I just told the boys that you won’t get another such 45 minutes in your life. We knew we were 45 minutes away from being the champion. We had to be extra special in the second half.”
After the break, Jamil went for broke by bringing young striker William Lalnunfela on, sacrificing a midfielder. The equaliser came when Lalnunfela’s glanced header off a freekick hit the Lajong post, with Vishal Kaith in no man’s land. The young Mizo striker pounced on the rebound to send the Aizawl fans into raptures.
Jamil said the whole team deserved praise, and not any individual. “It is not just about me or any individual,” he said. “It is about the boys. They played continuously and played well. They deserve the credit.” He also said that it was “my biggest victory ever”, adding, “I always wanted to win the I-League. Every time at the start of the season I used to tell myself that this year I should win it. I had to wait. And today we have won.”
Lajong coach Thangboi Singto congratulated Aizawl FC on the victory, saying, “They were consistent all throughout. They are the deserving champions”.
