I-League: Lajong takes advantage of wobbling Minerva

Shillong Lajong bettered its records on the road as it overcame the Minerva Punjab FC barrier, beating the host 2-1 at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on Tuesday.

Published : Mar 07, 2017 22:16 IST

With the win, Lajong sneaks into the top four with 19 points from 12 outings.

Shillong Lajong bettered its records on the road as it overcame the Minerva Punjab FC barrier, beating the host 2-1 at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on Tuesday.

Samuel Lalmuanpuia (27th minute) opened the scoreline for the visitor while Karim Nurain restored parity in the 36th minute. Fabio Pena put the Highlanders at the stroke of half-time, which eventually made the difference between the two teams.

Minerva Punjab FC started the game upbeat and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession during the first phase of the match with its revamped lineup, featuring gaffer Kareem as a striker.

Three minutes before the half-hour mark, Samuel drew the first blood for the visitor. Within 10 minutes, Minerva striker Kareem Nurain stunned the high-flying visitor with a sublime spot-kick to level the scoreline.

Eventually, Lajong’s Brazilian striker Fabio Pena struck again to leave the ground having a bleak edge over the host.

In the second half, Lajong attacked in numbers utilising both the flanks. Fabio Pena played a vital role in organising the attacking strength of the visiting side.

Kaith was tremendous between the posts earning his team invaluable three points. Minerva came close to scoring from Kareem’s shot but his effort was blocked by Lajong’s resilient backline.

With the win, Lajong sneaks into the top four with 19 points from 12 outings whereas Minerva Punjab FC plunges to eighth with 11 points in the bag.