Kiyi Zhimomi first half strike gives Rangdajied all three points against Nangkiew Irat SC

In what was a lacklustre performance by both the teams, Zhimomi’s tap in goal in the 35th minute proved to be the difference as Rangdajied United FC registered their first win of the season in the Gionee Shillong Premier League.

Both the teams started the match very slow, passive in possession and lacking any creativity up front. Most of the goal scoring opportunities for both the team coming from dead ball situations as they were unable to create anything from open play. Henry Marbo’s (Nangkiew Irat) free kick in the 29th minute went just inches wide of goal while the weak free kick of Rangdajied’s skipper in the 31st minute was collected easily by the skipper and goalkeeper of the Nangkiew Irat team. In the 35th minute however, Rangdajied’s midfield came up with something special and found Nadong Bhutia free on the left wing, Bhutia then sent in a mouth watering ball into the box and all Kiyi Zhimomi had to do was say thank you and tap it in the back of the net. Goalscorer Kiyi Zhimomi(blue shirt) vies for the ball with a Nangkiew Irat defender. The game then went back to its earlier proceedings; Rangdajied, happy with the lead sat deep in their own half while Nangkiew Irat were unable to come up with anything. Jermy Passah, captain and goalkeeper of the Nangkiew Irat team injured himself in a collision at the stroke of half time and had to be substituted at half time. Deputy goalkeeper Ferdinand Makri was called into action right away in the second half when Bishar Kharumnuid’s shot took a wicked deflection off one of his own defenders and he had to make a stretching save to keep the shot away. The second half wasn’t any different from the first half as both the teams resorted to dead ball situations to come up with goal scoring opportunities. Nangkiew Irat’s striker Nnamdi Stephen Harry scored from a header in the 67th minute but he was flagged offside by the linesman, much to the dismay of the Nangkiew Irat players. Rangdajied’s Tingnyek Konyak missed an absolute sitter in the 78th minute when he cannoned a close range shot over the crossbar, this too resulting from poor defending of a corner by the Nangkiew Irat defenders. Nangkiew Irat’s last chance to score came in the 89th minute when substitute Baskhem C Shanpru lined up a free kick from the halfway line but his pile driver of a shot missed the target by a whisker and Rangdajied held on to their lead. The match was as gray as the weather and both teams will be looking for improvements in their next matches. Shillong Lajong FC will take on Royal Wahingdoh FC tomorrow in a mouth watering fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong. Time 3:30 pm.