Shillong, November 21: The I-League Match that will be play tomorrow at the JNS Stadium at Polo will be between the Shillong Lajong F.C. and Rangdajied United F.C both the team are from the home state of Meghalaya.
The match will start at 6.pm onwards and this will be the firsr ever match that will be telecast live on the chanell Tean Action.
In a pre-match press conference, Lajong coach Thangboi Singto said that tomorrow’s match would be “a big day for Northeast football”.
“I-League is a tough league to play in and many players from the Northeast are playing in the league, and it is a good thing for Indian football to see teams representing the region,” Singto said. On tomorrow’s match, the Lajong coach said, “Football will be the winner tomorrow but we will look for a win.”
However, Lajong FC will miss like Jibon Singh who is facing a two-match ban after receiving a red card in the last game against Mohun Bagan, and defender Wailadmi Passah will have to sit out after collecting four yellow cards this season.
Singto, though, is relying on World Cupper from Trinidad & Tobago Cornell Glen, who has scored six goals from seven matches. Another player to look out for is Uilliam who has found the net three times from two games.
Both Glen and Uilliam have been consistently delivering up front forming a formidable strike partnership. Rangdajied, on the other hand, have not been able to perform well so far with just three points and are struggling at the bottom of the table.
Recently, the new entrant into the league recruited five players from the IMG-Reliance league defying the rules laid by the I-League Professional Football Clubs Association (IPFCA).Speaking on the issue Rangdajied coach Santosh Kashyap said, “It was a management call.”
However, the team will be without the services of Edmar and Sandesh Jhingan although captain Eugeneson Lyngdoh Mawphlang and midfielder Restom Khyriem are back after being out with injuries.
Kashyap said all these years derby matches have been taking place mainly in Bengal and Goa. “I think tomorrow’s match should be a positive one, and we will try to put in our best.”
Eugeneson, who will be facing his old club tomorrow after being a part of Lajong for two consecutive seasons, said, “It will be a bit emotional match for me, but I am very grateful to them (Lajong). I have full respect for Lajong, but I will be playing for a win for my club.” If Lajong wins the match, it will move to the second spot in the table. Rangdajied, on the other hand, will have to slog it out to ensure that it gets itself out of the relegation zone.(SP News)
