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What's the story?
Reigning I-League champions Aizawl FC suffered their first home loss of the season at the hands of rivals Shillong Lajong at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. Lajong emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline at a stadium which is considered as a fortress for the I-League champions.
Aizawl FC are a solid unit in front of their supporters and have had a brilliant home record until today. The last time Aizawl lost at home was back in April 2016, that is, a staggering 616 days before the loss to Shillong Lajong.
In case you didn't know...
This was the first North East derby of the season went in the way of a youthful Shillong Lajong side. Redeem Tlang, the 22-year-old winger, scored the only goal of the game when he struck home in the 60th minute. A win over Aizawl FC also takes Bobby Nonget's Lajong to second in the league table.
The heart of the matter
Aizawl FC's title-winning season was based on the fact that they were a side that punched above its weight on home turf. Today's loss has brought an end to a home domination and an unbeaten run of 616 days, which is also the longest unbeaten home streak ever recorded in India. The North East giants' last home loss came on April 11, 2016, against Salgaocar FC.
What's next?
A loss has made Aizawl drop to sixth in the table and the defending champions must get back to winning ways if they want to have a crack at defending their crown.
Author's take
This utter domination at home by Aizawl FC finally came to an end in the club's final home game before Christmas as the team could not give it's supporters the festive gift that they badly wanted.
