I-League 2018-19: Shillong Lajong 1-3 East Bengal – 5 talking points

East Bengal registered their second victory in the I-League 2018-19 campaign as they comfortably defeated Shillong Lajong at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Shillong on Wednesday. East Bengal now climbed to the top of the table with six points from two matches.

The red and gold won their first two I-League matches for the first time since 2010, in the first season of British coach Trevor Morgan. Now, under Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez, East Bengal repeated the feat, hoping to win the elusive title.

Six points in the first two away games is something to cheer about. The motley crowd that was present in the stadium, was simply delighted after the match. If Enrique Esqueda stole the limelight in the first match, it was Jobby Justin who went on to become a hero in the second.

East Bengal got their lead in the 12th minute. From Lalrindika Ralte’s free-kick, Justin jumped above everyone to head the ball into the back of the net. Justin got his second from a counter attack when he drove home Esqueda’s lofted pass into the bottom corner.

Rakesh Pradhan pulled one back for Shillong in the 71st minute from a well-taken corner of Samuel. But three minutes later, Bidyashagar Singh utilised a mistake from Dakemi and increased his team’s lead.

Lajong, will an all-Indian side, was boosted by their first win against Aizawl FC. But now they have to go back again in the drawing board.

Let us look at the major points of the match:

#5 Two wins in the North-East must relieve East Bengal

The north-eastern part of the country has always been a worry for all the I-League teams. Amid the low temperature, high altitude and raucous fans, the task of collecting three points is not so easy.

East Bengal though made it look simple this time. Last year, the red and gold could’ve won the I-League, but a 2-2 draw dented all their hopes. They have tasted success at this ground only a few times. So the task was not easy for the team and their new coach.

However, a two-goal lead in the first half had all but secured East Bengal’s fortune this time. Though there were some anxious moments throughout the match, a win was not denied.

#4 Amnah’s absence hurts East Bengal’s midfield

East Bengal coach Alejandro Menendez had earlier said they have players in the team who can cover Mahmoud Al Amnah’s absence. But the midfielders' performance was far from his words.

In the two matches, East Bengal missed the service of Amnah badly. His ball control ability, dominance in the midfield, presence of mind and connecting with the forwards have no replacement. No other player in this East Bengal team can match Amnah.

East Bengal have two beautiful strikers in Esqueda and Justin. But there needs to be someone who will constantly provide passes to them. Esqueda and Justin were seen dropping down to defence to collect the ball and make the attack. Had Amnah been there, they could’ve played more freely and in fact, could score more goals.

Also, why Menendez is keeping Kassim Aidara on the bench is not known. Is Aidara not fully fit? Or is he not fit into the coach’s strategy? Aidara came on as a substitute against Lajong but by then, the match was already in East Bengal’s pocket.

#3 Lajong’s mantra – pass, pass and pass

How often do we see Indian players making 20 or 30 passes on the field? Isn’t it something unnatural? Well, not for the Lajong boys though. Unlike other Indian players, who mostly rely on long balls and try to shoot from a distance, the Lajong players showed how to make an attack with countless passes.

Lajong started on an attacking note from the very first minute. They were targeting the space behind the defenders and running after every ball. Despite facing a more experienced side, the Lajong boys never panicked and tried their best on the field. They cleverly used the flanks to penetrate East Bengal’s defence. They were brilliant off the ball also.

One major improvement from this side is, they are using set-piece options quite intelligently. Samuel Lalhimnpuia hit the woodwork from a brilliant free-kick in the first quarter of the game. They looked dangerous every time from the corner and eventually scored one also, denying East Bengal a clean-sheet.

#2 Acosta-Borja perfect combination in East Bengal’s defence

Johnny Acosta came amid much hype and fanfare. East Bengal were looking exposed in their defensive consolidation and it was thought Acosta’s presence would solve the problem. But in the Calcutta Football League, Acosta’s performance was disastrous, to say the least.

They conceded two goals on every match that Acosta played. The fans started worrying about the I-League. East Bengal have included Borja Gomez Perez in their team on the advice of Alejandro, but not much information was available about him. But the Malaysia tour certainly changed the team.

The two defenders have already developed a beautiful understanding. One of them always stays on the defence while the other moves out to help the midfielders during an attack. Lajong kept the possession much like NEROCA and pushed East Bengal to their limits, but Acosta and Borja thwarted every attack that came in their way.

#1 All-Indian line-up not a worry for Lajong

When Shillong Lajong announced that they will field an all-Indian line-up before the season, everyone came to a shock. Indian Arrows are the only team with an all-Indian set-up but that’s for a purpose. What made up Lajong taking the decision?

Lajong management said they want to promote players from the northeast as many as possible. So, Lajong not only have an all-Indian line-up but also an all-north-eastern line-up.

After the first two matches, one can safely say that the move is successful. They defeated Aizawl FC comfortably in their first match. Though they have lost against a stronger side like East Bengal, they have maintained supremacy throughout the match.

Lajong maintained 65 per cent ball possession and made at least 200 passes more than red and golds. Samuel, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Lalawmpuia Hnamte and Kenstar Kharshong are some of the talents that the team possess. The team will only get better in the coming days.