Shillong Lajong FC 1 (Aman Ahlawat 34′)
beat
Real Kashmir FC 0
AIFF Media Team
SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC rode Aman Ahlawat’s 34th minute strike to return to winning ways with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Real Kashmir FC in a closely contested I-League 2024-25 fixture at the SSA Stadium, here, on Friday, January 10, 2025.
This match marked Lajong’s first-ever win against Real Kashmir, an achievement complemented by the standout performance of goalkeeper Manas Dubey.
The win helped Shillong Lajong move to seventh position in the points table with nine points from seven matches. They have notched up two wins, drawn three matches and lost twice. Real Kashmir, still searching for consistency since their last victory four matches ago, are in the ninth spot.
The crucial encounter saw Shillong Lajong recovering from a recent defeat to Delhi FC. Banking on their local support, the home side started the match with high energy as they pressed Real Kashmir early on.
The breakthrough for Lajong came in the 34th minute when captain Hardy Cliff Nongbri expertly navigated the ball into the penalty area. A defensive error from Real Kashmir’s Muhammad Hammad allowed the ball to fall perfectly for Aman Ahlawat, who seized the moment with both hands. His powerful strike was poorly handled by goalkeeper Mohammad Arbaz, who despite getting a hand to it, couldn’t prevent the ball from crossing the line.
The goal instilled confidence in Lajong players, who controlled the pace and flow for the remainder of the first half.
Post-interval, Real Kashmir, driven by coach Ishfaq Ahmed’s tactical adjustments, surged forward in search of the equaliser. They created numerous scoring opportunities, the best of which saw Basit Ahmed Bhat’s ferocious long-range attempt thunder against the crossbar.
Real Kashmir’s offensive efforts intensified as the game progressed, but Manas Dubey’s exceptional goalkeeping became the cornerstone of Lajong’s defence. Dubey made several crucial saves, maintaining the home side’s lead against the persistent Kashmiri attacks.
In a particularly heart-stopping moment, when Dubey was finally beaten, Nongbri too, got into the act when he heroically cleared the ball off the line, ensuring that Lajong kept their advantage.
Despite being reduced to reactive play for much of the second half, Shillong Lajong managed to hold off Real Kashmir’s advances, clinching a critical win.
