I-League: Namdhari beats Lajong, Rajasthan edges past Churchill Brothers

Powered by Peter Haokip’s brace, Namdhari FC’s formidable form continued as they thrashed Shillong Lajong FC 5-2 in a high-scoring I-League 2024-25 encounter at Namdhari Stadium on Saturday.

Brazilian duo Vicente De Paula Mercedes and Cledson Carvalho Dasilva and Bhupinder Singh were the other scorers as the hosts registered their fourth consecutive victory and extended their unbeaten streak to seven games. Douglas Tardin and Figo Syndai were the marksmen for the losers.

As a result, Namdhari FC ascended to the top of the league standings with 20 points from 10 games, albeit temporarily. Lajong occupies the fifth spot in the points table with 13 points from 10 matches.

The match began with Shillong Lajong taking an early lead. Just eight minutes into the game, Lajong’s captain Hardy Nongbri embarked on a swift run down the right flank, breezing past a defender to cut back a pass to Tardin.

Positioned perfectly, the Brazilian showed remarkable calm as he carefully placed the ball into the net. The strike also helped Tardin, the league’s top-scorer, take his tally to 10 for the season.

However, Lajong’s lead catalyzed Namdhari, stirring them into action. The response was swift and decisive, leading to a penalty in the 22nd minute after Ronney Wilson’s foul on Cledson Carvalho Dasilva.

Vicente De Paula Mercedes confidently converted the penalty, sending the ball past Lajong goalkeeper Manas Dubey, who had guessed the right direction but couldn’t prevent the goal.

Sparked by the equalizer, Namdhari intensified their attacks. Dubey was called into action several times, notably making a double save from Dasilva. Despite his efforts, Namdhari took the lead in the 26th minute through Dasilva, who connected with Bhupinder Singh’s precise cross from the right, marking his sixth goal of the tournament.

The momentum remained with Namdhari in the second half as they quickly extended their lead in the 48th minute. A howler by Dubey allowed Peter Haokip to capitalize on a cross from Manvir Singh. Haokip’s shot should have been saved by Dubey but the goalkeeper made a mess of it as the ball rolled awkwardly into the net.

The hosts further cemented their lead in the 62nd minute through Bhupinder Singh, who exquisitely controlled a cross and lobbed the ball over the advancing Dubey.

Lajong managed to reduce the deficit in the 74th minute when a cross from Kynsailang Khongsit created confusion in the Namdhari box, allowing Figo Syndai to find the net amidst the chaos.

However, Namdhari’s offensive prowess shone again in the 84th minute. Jaskaranpreet Singh, bypassing Lajong’s defense with ease, opted to assist rather than shoot and set up Haokip for a simple finish to complete his brace and seal a commanding 5-2 victory.

Rajasthan United rock Churchill Brothers’ boat

Rajasthan United FC shocked Churchill Brothers 1-0 in the I-League 2024-25 encounter at the Vidyadhar Nagar Stadium on Saturday, January 25, 2025. The loss was Churchill’s second of the New Year.

Spanish striker Gerard Artigas delivered the winner deep into the add-on time of the second half.

The defeat came as a double blow for the visitors as it also cost them the top position they were occupying in the league table. While Namdhari FC, who outclassed Shillong Lajong FC in the day’s first match, are now toppers with 20 points, the Goa side have dropped to the second place with 19 points from 10 outings.

Rajasthan meanwhile moved up to fourth place with 14 points in their kitty from nine matches. The win extended the Desert Warriors’ unbeaten streak to five games, in which they have bagged 11 points.

After a shocking loss to open the new year, Churchill’s form reset to normal, and the league toppers were hoping to extend their lead after Inter Kashi’s loss the prior evening.

Rajasthan though was not an easy case to crack, unbeaten in four and putting together a run of results that not just belied their early season form but also had slowly turned it around.

Predictably, the visitors were the ones who started brighter, and in a first half devoid of much real goalmouth action, were the ones who conjured up the big chances of the period. The first arrived seemingly on a platter for Kingslee Fernandes, the forward’s run at the far post picked out with a perfect cross from the left. He volleyed high.

Neither team had adequately tested the goalkeepers with long balls and set pieces, often headed clear or easily gathered in goal. It took till the opening minutes of the second half for both sides to put together a run of play that looked dangerous, Rajasthan’s Naoba Meitei first testing Sayad Abul Kadir from a tight angle after a run into the box.

Off the counterattack, Churchill almost got the opener, Lamgoulen Hangshing’s cutback from the right falling in the path of Kingslee running into the box. The forward’s shot was on target but bounced off a clueless defender blocking the goal.

The game wore on without either side able to break through, half chances also petering out to few and far between. Arguably the best chance fell to Churchill’s Nishchal Chandan in the 88th minute, when a half-cleared corner fell at his feet inside the six-yard box. Facing a narrow-angle and a rapidly shutting window of opportunity, he volleyed high.

Rajasthan made them pay for that miss deep in injury time. A hopeful cross to the far post from Mateo Caprile was met by Samuel Lyngdoh’s flying volley. The forward’s shot was true and forced a brilliant reactionary save from Kadir.

The parry fell straight into the path of Gerard Artigas and the Spaniard merely had to tap it in from two yards away. Bedlam broke out in the coaching unit and the stands as Churchill looked shocked. It was effectively the last real action of the game as Rajasthan rejoiced in a brilliant smash and grabbed three points.