I-League 2023-24: Shillong Lajong outplays 10-man TRAU FC, climbs to third

It took Lajong till the 85th minute to finally get the winner, a swift counter launched by Everbrightson Sana which eventually ended with Thomas Singh putting the ball in his own net.

Lajong and TRAU in action in the I-League match at the Shillong Sports Association Stadium on Saturday. | Photo Credit: AIFF Media

SHILLONG

Shillong Lajong FC earned a hard-fought 2-1 win against 10-man TRAU FC in the 2023-24 I-League on November 25, 2023. Playing a majority of the game a man down, TRAU’s loss condemned it further, deeper into the points table; it now stands last in the 13-team league with just one point from six matches.

On the other hand, Shillong Lajong – with nine points from five matches – is now placed fifth in the league table. In a half completely dominated by the host, it was TRAU which took the lead, Robinson Singh’s header the first in five games the club had scored in the league this season.

The goal came against the run of play but was created out of some brilliant movement and speed of passing by the TRAU midfield. When the ball ended up with Deepak Singh on the right, the winger cut one way and another before dropping a pin-point cross into the six-yard area for Robinson to slam in.

It had been 525 minutes since TRAU had last scored a goal in the I-League, and within five minutes of that, Lajong struck back. Its goal came through a catastrophe of errors, first, from the TRAU goalkeeper Salam Sanaton Singh who spilt a routine cross straight into the path of Figo Syndai.

The forward’s shot on goal was blocked on the goalline by B. Sunil with his hand. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and sent the Services man off. Hardy Cliff Nongbri duly obliged the partisan crowd with a calmly taken spot-kick to equalise.

Playing against 10 men, Lajong was not clinical enough, its striker Elhadji Karim Samb guilty of missing a pair of close-range chances midway through the half.

TRAU, meanwhile, was happy to defend deep and preserve what they could with the odds stacked against it.

It took Lajong till the 85th minute to finally get the winner, a swift counter launched by Everbrightson Sana freeing up Karim Samb to drive into the box and cut the ball back toward the near post.

In an effort to block Hardy Cliff, Thomas Singh put the ball in his own net.

TRAU hit back almost from the kick-off, Abraham Okyere rippling the net, only to be found offside. It was the last real bit of drama as Lajong held on for a deserved three points.