I-League: Shillong Lajong pummel Rajasthan United 8-0, Namdhari win

Hosts Shillong Lajong FC routed Rajasthan United FC 8-0 in Round 4 of the I-League 2024-25 at the SSA Stadium in Shillong on Sunday.

Having failed to win any of their first three matches, Lajong looked like a team in a hurry and opened the scoring in the third minute through Figo Syndai and added two more via their Brazilian duo Douglas Tardin (17’) and Daniel Goncalves (45+3’) to make it 3-0 at half time.

There was no respite for Rajasthan United in the second half as their rampaging rivals scored five more goals in 21 minutes with Damaitphang Lyngdoh (49’), Tardin (51’), Brazilian Marcos Rudwere (61’), Spanish recruit Imanol Arana Sadaba (66’, penalty) and Hardy Nongbri (87’) adding to their misery. It is the biggest margin of victory in the ongoing I-League 2024-25 so far.

After four matches, Shillong Lajong now have five points, while Rajasthan remains at three. Rajasthan have a lot to blame themselves for the massacre they suffered, as their defence was in shambles from the beginning and hardly displayed any sign of improvement as the match progressed. Instead, they turned more chaotic in the rear to make the job of the Shillong Lajong attackers easier.

Spanish midfielder Sadaba is a smooth operator on the wings and he had his markers in trouble when he moved through the left to send the ball to the goalmouth for Figo to do the needful in the third minute.

Rajasthan United lived dangerously thereafter. Their goal area was almost under siege and Shillong increased the margin in the 17th minute when Tardin managed to flick in a cross from the left. The third goal, just before half time, was the result of a corner. This time Daniel found all the time in the world to control the ball and shoot home with a left-footer.

With the match already in pocket, the hosts toyed with the visitors almost at will and pumped in five more goals. Even the partisan crowd, who thoroughly enjoyed the dominance of the home side initially, looked bored by the one-sided nature of the contest.

Namdhari FC register maiden win

In the day's other game, Namdhari FC registered their first win of the season and also condemned Aizawl to a first defeat with a 3-1 victory in their Round 4 match of the I-League 2024-25 season at the Namdhari Stadium The hosts led 2-0 at the break.

Namdhari’s Brazilian striker Cledson ‘Degol’ DaSilva (14’, 23’, 71’) scored the hat-trick that saw his side get their first victory of the season.

Lalhriatpuia (86’) scored the only goal for Aizawl. With this win, Namdhari climb to the eighth spot on the I-League table with four points from as many matches, just one behind Aizawl.

None of Namdhari’s players had scored a goal in the season yet — the club’s lone goal an own goal against Rajasthan United — and here, from the start there was a hunger to get the scoreboard ticking. Not only did they dominate the possession, but in the opening quarter of an hour it seemed like they were engaged in a training drill.

As such, when the net rippled for the first time in the 10th minute, it was hardly a surprise, the only thing denying Namdhari the lead being the assistant referee’s flag. It didn’t matter because four minutes later they did it legitimately.

Played through by a brilliant Francis Addo pass, Manvir Singh took the snapshot only to rattle the crossbar from inside the box. The rebound fell kindly for Degol to the left of the box.

The Brazilian looped the ball over the first defender, dropped a shoulder to fox the second, and curled his shot into the right corner. Namdhari had finally scored.

The old adage of waiting for a bus applied soon after. It had taken Namdhari 284 minutes to score a goal of their own creation. Within nine they had a second and yet again it was DaSilva providing the magic, his brilliant turn shaking off the defender before he let fly from outside the box, a diving Joel Lalramchhana no match for it. Aizawl’s all Indian XI had a mountain to climb.

Aizawl came out for the second half with clear instructions to be more brave and actually try and make a game of it. And within the first 15 minutes they had a pair of chances to draw level.

First, after some brilliant work on the right Lalbiakdika ran inside the box, drew the goalkeeper out and cut a perfect ball back towards Lalhriatpuia, the gaping goal at his mercy. Calvin Baretto’s last ditch sliding tackle poked the ball away just as the forward was about to pull the trigger. Not long after, Lalbiakdika did his magic again, preferring to shoot himself, when in a similar position. He shot high.

Namdhari made them pay for it immediately. DaSilva picked up the ball 35 yards from goal in the 71st minute, and buoyed by his form in the game, let fly. The ball nestled in the top left corner to give them a three-goal lead, and complete his hat trick.

To their credit, Aizawl kept coming, and got their reward in the 86th minute when an unmarked Lalhriatpuia tapped in at the far post from a corner. It was too late to salvage anything bar a hint of pride.