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Shilling Lajong mounted a splendid comeback as they registered a well fought 3-2 victory over FC Pune City.
Having gone 0-2 down early on, the men in white never put their heads down, scoring three well-taken goals, the most important one being a penalty in added time, scored by their 19-year-old captain.
This win means they have progressed to the quarter-finals of the Super Cup where they will face Kolkata giants, Mohun Bagan. Here are the major talking points from tonight's exciting clash.
#5 Pune took the game to Shillong and understandably so
Semi-finalists of the ISL 2017/18 season, FC Pune City didn't take much time to ease themselves into tonight's game. From minute one, they were aggressive, committed numbers in attack and played slick football despite the ground being heavily flooded due to the incessant rains.
Coach, Ranko Popovic deployed a stellar starting 11 which included the likes of Diego Carlos, Marko Stankovic, Jonathan Lucca, and Marcelinho. Pune's four foreign recruits combined extremely well and ran circles around Shillong's players in the opening stages of the game.
The short, incisive passes from the men in orange meant Shillong failed in their attempt to high press their opponents. Eventually, the men in white decided to fall back and did well to absorb the initial pressure.
#4 Jonathan Lucca scores a blinder to give Pune the lead
FC Pune City's 24-year-old Brazilian playmaker, Jonathan Lucca featured in only seven matches during the ISL season. Coach, Popovic sparsely used him and he was surely not expected to start tonight.
However, he sure made a case for himself with a splendid free kick inside the opening 20 minutes of the game. Pune won a free-kick which was at a considerable distance from goal. Up stepped Lucca and nestled the ball right into the top corner.
Mind you, Shillong's keeper, Nidhin Lal had ample time to spot the trajectory of the ball. But there was very little he could do. Lucca's peach of a free-kick flew right into the corner. It had swerve and the right amount of pace. A carbon copy of the goal he scored against Bengaluru FC during the ISL season.
#3 Shillong put to the sword and struggled to keep up
If Lucca's opener wasn't enough to satiate the viewers' appetite, captain, Marcelinho followed it up with a sublime left-footed effort to give Pune an early 2-0 lead. After warding off dangerous attacks initially, Shillong's players struggled to maintain their intensity and paid heavily for doing so.
From a typical counter-attack, Diego ran a good distance before laying off the ball for Marcelinho on the right. The Brazilian opened up his body wonderfully and curled his left-footed effort past the hapless keeper who once again had no chance to get his hands on the ball.
Lajong surely were not poor. Pune were just at their A game and pinned their opponents deep in their own half. When Shillong did attempt to counter, Pune delivered a deadly counter of their own.
#2 Shillong's Abdoulaye Koffi breathes life into a one-sided affair
After Pune took a 2-0 lead, it seemed like Marcelinho and co. would run riot. Things could have taken a turn for the worse for Shillong. But the trailing side delivered a killer blow scoring quality goal of their own.
Number 7 and Number 10 combined to score a wonderful opener. Lalmuanpuia released Koffi with a defence-splitting through ball. The latter shrugged off his marker, kept his cool and slotted the ball past Pune keeper, Vishal Kaith.
Despite being second best for close to 30 minutes of the game, Shillong refused to throw in the towel. A moment of creative inspiration helped them breathe life into what was initially a largely one-sided affair. Pune were taken aback by the surprise goal. Their confidence no longer was at its peak.
#1 Shillong rise from the dead and snatch victory in dying minutes
Leading 2-0, Pune looked on course for a routine victory. But before they knew it, they found themselves level on scores after two well-taken goals from Shillong. The North-Eastern outfit rose from the dead and mounted a splendid comeback against a quality opponent.
The comeback was complete in the 92nd minute. Lajong were awarded a penalty after Vishal Kaith cynically brought down Koffi inside the box. Up stepped 19-year-old captain, Samuel Lalmuanpuia.
The diminutive leader kept his calm and slotted his powerful shot past Kaith, earning his side a crucial victory much against what everyone expected. Pune only had themselves to blame for missing the chance to put the game to bed, having missed three glorious opportunities to take an unassailable lead.
