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On New Year’s Eve, the Tilak Maidan Goa will witness a clash between a buoyant Shillong Lajong FC and home crowd favourites Salgaocar FC in a group B match of the 2014-15 Federation Cup at 4:00 pm.
The Reds suffered a 3-1 defeat to Pune FC in their first game and will look to bounce back in their second group B fixture on Wednesday. The Lajong gaffer, Thangboi Singto fielded a young team and gave a first team start to teenager and Lajong academy product Lalrammuana, who also scored his first senior team goal. Other young players also played, with Kunzang Bhutia featuring in goal, Nim Dorjee Tamang along with Samuel Shadap in defense and Jacob Lalrawngbawla in midfield.
Senior players who featured in the first match were Aibor Khongjee, who also captained the Reds and was seen at the heart of the Lajong defense along with Sikkimese defender Robin Gurung; Manipuri sensations Milan Singh and Boithang Haokip were in midfield, while India international Seiminlen Doungel and Assamese lad Durga Boro played upfront.
Lajong’s dynamism in the attacking midfield will surely be an immense boost in order to supply ammunition to the strike force of Durga Boro and Seiminlen Doungel, who Lajong will heavily rely upon after a poor start to the Federation Cup campaign.
Coach Thangboi Singto has immense faith in his youthful squad although the team lost their first match. He believes that the “Never-Say-Die-Spirit ” is living amongst them and the lads continue to remain content and determined knowing what is at stake for tomorrow’s fixture.
Singto said, “The morale of the team is good, but only one-day gap between matches does not really help in preparations. We are doing the best we can in a short time. We expect to improve on our previous performance tomorrow against a very experienced Salgaocar side. The Reds will look to turn things around against Salgaocar and take all three points as the team will settle for nothing less than a victory.”
On the other hand, the Goan outfit Salgaocar FC lost in the opening fixture of the Federation Cup to I-League 2013-14 Champions, Bengaluru FC by a score line of 3-2. However, the Durand Cup Winners from Goa will look to get back to their good form and also pray for a miracle in their quest to qualify from the group, in addition to not wanting to leave their home ground on New Year’s Eve disappointed.
Lajong and Salgaocar will head into the clash tomorrow knowing that all three points are crucial with Bengaluru FC and Pune FC sitting on top after having won their first respective matches of the tournament.
Lajong will look to score a few goals and display an attacking game of football in what will be an enticing encounter on Wednesday at the Tilak Maidan Vasco, Goa.
