With a 2-1 victory over FC Bengaluru United at the SSA Stadium in Shillong on Sunday, Shillong Lajong FC became the first team from the ongoing Second Division League season to be promoted to the I-League 2023-24. The Meghalaya side was playing its final match of the final round, and with this win, they increased their point tally to seven from four games to top the table. Follow AIFF and Indian Football Team LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN
Shillong Lajong back to I-League after four long years
Shillong Lajong is back in the I-League after a gap of four years. They were relegated after finishing at the bottom of the table in the 2018-19 season. Their journey in this season’s 2nd Division began as early as the qualifying round in February, where they overcame Downtown Heroes, Corbett and United Chirang Duar to progress to the Group Stage. Pitted alongside United SC, East Bengal Reserves and The Diamond Rock FA, Lajong finished second in the group and qualified for the final round as the best runners-up across all groups, as per a press release from All India Football Federation (AIFF).
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A heavy 1-5 thrashing at the hands of Ambernath United Atlanta five days ago meant that it was a do-or-die situation for Shillong Lajong against Bengaluru United on Sunday. Spurred on by a strong home crowd, Everbrightson Mylliempdah’s brilliant curling strike gave them the lead just before half-time, but Kongbrailatpam Manjit Sharma equalised for the visitors just after the restart. However, eight minutes from time, Figo Syndai’s header regained the lead for Bobby Nongbet’s side, which they maintained until the final whistle. As a result of Ambernath’s 3-4 defeat to United SC in Kalyani in the concurrent kick-off, Shillong Lajong’s place in the top two and in next season’s I-League was confirmed with one matchday to go.
Shillong Lajong were the torch-bearers of the northeast in the I-League, becoming the first side from the region to be promoted to the then-top division in 2009-10. Now, with the Reds marking their return, the next season’s I-League will see as many as four sides from northeast India, including Aizawl FC, NEROCA FC and TRAU FC.
The Meghalaya club have a history of producing top-quality players, with the likes of Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Chinglensana Singh, Bipin Singh, Vishal Kaith, Naorem Mahesh Singh and Seiminlen Doungel, all going on to make their Blue Tigers debut after plying their trade in Lajong. The current Lajong squad also includes several players from the Meghalaya side which made history by reaching the Santosh Trophy Final in Riyadh earlier this year. Other than Sunday’s goalscorers Everbrightson Mylliempdah and Figo Syndai, Rajat Paul Lyngdoh, Ronaldkydon Lyngdoh and Henryford Nongneng were part of Meghalaya’s fairytale run.
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