I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: It was a wintry evening at Shillong. The tournament was the Shillong Premier League, and all eyes and cheers were for the winners of the match, played on December 2009. It was the Final Game of the local league – considered as one of the biggest from the regional Football leagues around India.

Shillong Lajong FC were already into their debut season in the I-League, but Royal Wahingdoh FC had just got promoted to the Shillong Premier League. It was their debut season. The two teams met in the high voltage final encounter at the Polo Stadium in Shillong – an I-League team vs the local newbies. Extra time didn’t separate the teams and in a tense penalty shootout local boy Bowari Khongstia converted to give Wahingdoh their first major title.

That was just the start of an intense rivalry between Lajong and Wahingdoh.

RWFC would go on to make it a hat-trick of Shillong league titles in the next 2 seasons – but this match had set the tone. Lajong would go on to scale greater heights on the national stage while RWFC had to wait till April 2014 to break into the I-League. The city however had been divided. Lajong got relegated in its debut season but made a comeback the following year to the League after qualifying in the I-League 2. RWFC missed out in their debut year.

It was next the Federation Cup taking place at September 2011 in Pune. On the back of a strong performance in the Fed Cup qualifiers – RWFC made it to the final group stages and was clubbed with heavyweights Mohun Bagan, Churchill Brothers and Lajong. Wins against Churchill and Bagan left RWFC needing just a point against Lajong to make it to the semis. Lajong however needed to win against RWFC.

It was a tense Shillong derby played in Pune which Lajong squeaked through with a one-nil victory over a 10-men RWFC. Shillong Lajong then went on to create history by becoming the first team from Shillong to reach the finals of the Federation Cup, wherein they faced East Bengal. Since 2011, the senior teams haven’t met on the national stage.

The Shillong Premier League, even today, provides both teams a platform to test out the junior players.

January 18, 2015 will therefore be a red letter day in Shillong history, as the two renew their rivalry, this time on the national stage – Hero I-League. Even touted by many India’s second biggest Club football game after the Kolkata derby. This match doesn’t even need any special advertisements.

As the season opener – football fans of the North East couldn’t have asked for more. Loyalties will be tested like no other. RWFC had a decent showing in the recent Fed Cup while Lajong would want to bounce back strongly.

The Wahingdoh locality of Shillong is located close to the JN Stadium and this will be a tough one for the fans.

Over the past few years while Lajong has represented the region at the national level; RWFC has always made known its intent at being in the Big League. For any person familiar with the passion and fervour with which football is followed in the North East – this is the mother of all derbies. It will be Lajong’s experience vs the enthusiasm of RWFC.

The game will be played at the JLN Stadium in Shillong at 4:30 pm, as Lajong host Wahingdoh. The official social media hashtag of the match remains #SLFCvRWFC.

(With inputs from SLFC and RWFC)