Shillong Lajong cruise to 2-0 victory over visiting Chennai City FC

Thangboi Singto's side put in an impressive display to blank the Southern visitors...

Shillong Lajong FC’s Cameroonian striker Aser Dipanda Dicka looked unstoppable, scoring both goals on their way to a 2-0 victory over Chennai City FC in the sixth round of the Hero I-League in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.

Dicka’s fourth and fifth goals of the season demonstrate that he has truly made the JN Stadium, Shillong, his home and the striker has moved to the joint top position in the race for 2016-17’s Golden Boot.

Buoyed by two wins on the trot at home against Minerva Punjab and Mumbai FC, Lajong started the proceedings on a dominant note looking to control the game from the outset. Singto’s combinations at the back and up front seemed to be thinking alike as Chennai were cramped for room. While Chinglensena and Nim Tamang were supported at the back by Yuta Kinowaki to hold the fortress strong, Issac pushed things from the midfield to feed the in-form Dipanda.

The first real chance came Lajong’s way when Dipanda crossed one back to Redeem Tlang from far right only to see the local forward smash it for the goalie to enforce a rebound. Five minutes later, following an excellent assist from Issac, Dipanda headed one into the nets from inside as the sizeable crowd at JN Stadium went into raptures.

 

Match Highlights: Shillong Lajong FC 2-0 Chennai City FC

In the 25th minute, Lajong had a shy at the nets twice but were unlucky on both occasions as the ball was somehow cleared in the melee. Chennai did look like making a comeback towards the fag end of the first half but some solid defending kept them at bay at half time even as a couple of balls flew over the crossbar. Crossing over, Marcos lost a decent opportunity to secure Chennai the equaliser when he lost control of the ball inside the box in the face of a diving Vishal Kaith.

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Coach Robin Raja brought in Denson Devadas in place of Sena but Lajong seemed unperturbed. Five minutes after the hour mark Dipanda virtually took the game away from the visitors by smashing one into the nets from close range after being fed inside by a free kick which was left uncleared.

Chennai efforts thereafter to stage a comeback bore no results as the hosts romped home to another victory. What was probably more relieved to Singto was the fact that his side could finally maintain a clean sheet.