Led by mercurial Trinidad and Tobago striker Cornell Glen, Shillong Lajong trounced Mumbai FC 6-0 to stop the losers' five-match unbeaten run at home this season in stunning fashion in the I-League clash at the Cooperage Ground here today.
Led by mercurial Trinidad and Tobago striker Cornell Glen, Shillong Lajong trounced Mumbai FC 6-0 to stop the losers' five-match unbeaten run at home this season in stunning fashion in the I-League clash at the Cooperage Ground here today.
The 33-year-old Trinidadian world cupper fired home the north easterners' first and fourth goals, once in either half, while Penn Orji and Zodingliana Ralte scored once each in regular time.
To add insult to injury, Brazilian Ulliams Souza Silva and Milan Singh came off the substitutes bench in the second half to fire home a goal each in added on time to complete Mumbai FC's total humiliation.
Port of Spain-born Glen notched his goals in the 21st and 51st minutes of the game and in between Orji (25th) scored to help the visitors take a 2-0 half time lead which was increased to 3-0 two minutes after resumption by Ralte.
The last two goals were notched in the 2nd and 3rd minutes of added on time.
The humiliating defeat left Mumbai FC - who dearly missed their Japanese midfielder Taisuke Matsugane who could not play because of a calf injury - in seventh spot on the table with 12 points, a rung above Lajong which moved up from the 10th spot to 8th following their spectacular display here.
Mumbai FC goalie Nidhin Lal brought off two good saves late in the match.
This was the first defeat of the season at home, and fifth overall from 11 games, for Mumbai FC after two victories and three draws. This is also the home team's second successive defeat.
For the visitors, the win was only their third win from ten matches.
The Shillong team outclassed Mumbai with their quick passing game and sharpness up front which flummoxed their opponents.
Mumbai were forced to make a couple of changes to their starting line-up, with Climax Lawrence returning in the midfield in place of Taisuke and Lal replacing Kunal Sawant as goalkeeper.
The first goal came off a defensive error by Lal whose feeble save off a Robin Gurung attempt was relayed to Cornell by a teammate and the experienced West Indian neatly tapped it in to make it 1-0.
Four minutes later Mumbai's citadel fell again. Seiminlen Doungel made a run down the right and passed to Orji from the byline. The latter's first-time effort went in off Mumbai defender Justin Stephen.
Any hopes of a Mumbai comeback were nipped early in the second half by the visitors, who scored two more goals with good approach work.
In the 47th minute, Doungel essayed the ball to overlapping back Aibor Khongjee who, in turn, crossed the ball towards an unmarked Ralte who found the mark off a rebounded shot off rival goalie Lal.
Cornell and Orji later combined forces inside the box before the former beat Lal to make it 4-0 before Ulliams and Milan scored once each in injury time to complete the total rout.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}