Shillong Lajong FC will look to continue its dream run and secure a ticket to the Durand Cup 2024 final when it locks horns with NorthEast United FC in the semifinal tie at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Monday.
Despite being the sole I-League side left in the competition, Shillong Lajong has proved that it can punch above its weight, shocking Kolkata giant East Bengal FC in the quarterfinals.
When an early goal from Marcos Rudwere was cancelled out by a clinical finish from EBFC’s Nandhakumar Sekar, The Reds, backed by the masses in the stands, took only six minutes to regain the lead through Figo Syndai.
Earlier, Shillong Lajong advanced to the knockout stages after topping its group, beating regional rival Rangdajied United and Nepal club Tribhuvan Army, while also holding Indian Super League side FC Goa to a 1-1 draw.
Similarly, NEUFC breezed through the group stage, notably thrashing fellow ISL club Odisha FC 5-1 in the process. Two second half goals helped it get the better of the Indian Army Football Team in the quarterfinal to secure a spot in the final four for the second year running.
After finishing just outside the top six in the ISL last season, head coach Juan Pedro Benali oversaw changes in his side during the season break, in an attempt to hand the club its first-ever trophy.
New signing Guillermo Fernandez has been one of the standout performers for NEUFC in the Durand Cup so far.
The Spaniard who has more than 430 appearances in various top European competitions (including La Liga and UEFA Champions League), is the club’s joint-top scorer in this edition of the competition and joint-second overall with four goals.
He shares the top-scorer spot with Jithin MS, who has been another sign of a positive season for The Highlanders. The 26-year-old is in red-hot form, scoring four goals and assisting one in four matches in the Durand Cup, and has already equalled his goal tally from the entirety of the previous ISL season, where he played 20 games.
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Home advantage
The semifinal between Shillong Lajong and NEUFC was supposed to be played at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on August 25, but was rescheduled and shifted to Shillong, owing to the fervour shown by the clubs’ fans throughout the tournament.
According to the Durand Cup organising committee, “This move is aimed at ensuring that the fans, who are the heart and soul of the tournament, can experience the excitement of this crucial match in an environment that resonates with the deep-rooted football traditions of their teams.”
Having played all of its matches at home so far, Shillong Lajong, backed by its fans, will fancy its chances of pulling off yet another rabbit out of the hat in the North East derby.
On the other hand, NEUFC will boast of a better head-to-head record against Shillong Lajong, but cannot leave anything to chance as it faces a daunting task in its second consecutive attempt to reach the final of Asia’s oldest existing football tournament.
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