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Shillong Lajong FC will take on Goan side Dempo SC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong tomorrow, December 21 in a round 16 I-League encounter at 5pm.
Shillong Lajong FC have an edge coming into tomorrow’s game with the weather at its worst. Having hit zero degrees on Tuesday the chilly conditions have already hit Dempo SC hard. Dempo assistant coach Maurice Afonso, who is in-charge in the absence of head coach Arthur Papas, said, “The chilly weather has brought down a few of our players with cold.”
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Lajong FC also have their fair share of woes with the most recent being the 5-1 drubbing in Goa against title contenders Sporting Clube de Goa. Speaking on the matter in a pre-match press conference Lajong FC coach Thangboi Singto said, “They played well in the second half scoring four goals and we didn’t play badly. They found their goals only on a few defensive mistakes.”
Thangboi added that Dempo will be the “fourth Goan side we will face, and we have got 6 points already and will look to get 9 out of a possible 12.2 Thangboi also said that he “admires” Dempo’s brand of football and tomorrow will be a tough game for The Reds.
Dempo SC come into Shillong having won in Kolkata over a weak Mohun Bagan side, but tomorrow they will miss defenders Samir Naik and Shinnosuke Honda out with injuries besides Brazilian veteran Roberto Mendes Silva. Lajong FC on the other hand will still be without striker Uilliams Souza Silva, who has a hairline fracture on his heel, and Cornell Glen will also miss the game due to suspension after picking up four yellows in this I-League season so far. Meanwhile the condition of Lajong captain Minchol Son will also have to be assessed as he is not hundred percent fit.
Dempo SC captain Clifford Miranda was also present at the press conference and said that he would like his team to “finish on a high going into the break.” He also added that they were a “young team under a lot of transition” and a win would boost their confidence.
Shillong Lajong FC have maintained a good run at home having been unbeaten in 6 consecutive I-League games and they are fourth overall in the table with 20 points from 14 games. Dempo SC however are only ninth having collected 16 points from 14 games.
