KOCHI: Chirag United Kerala scraped past Shillong Lajong FC 3-2, in the 21st round I-League match at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, on Saturday.

Vineeth CK scored twice while Nigerian David Sunday scored one a piece to ensure three points for the host. John D Menyongar and Boithang Haokip scored one a piece for Lajong.

Both the teams started on the aggressive note. But the game remained deadlocked till the 45th minute as they failed to utilise the chances created at either ends.

When it seemed the half would end goalless, Chirag's top scorer of the season Vineeth CK scored the first goal for host in the injury time.


On resumption, Lajong came out with some resolution. Eugenson Lyngdoh in the 49th minute missed an open goal from the close range, but the tight angle was too telling for the young midfielder who was creating chances for his teammates all along the match.

Lajong kept the pressure on and soon they were rewarded in the 59th minute as their captain John Menyongar reproduced a carbon copy of Chirag Kerala's opener as he headed home on Eugenson Lyngdoh's corner.

But their joy was very short lived, as David Sunday produced a moment of brilliance to gift back the lead to the home side, much to the jubilation of the home fans. He lifted the ball over advancing Lalthuamawia Ralte, the Lajong keeper, into the goal and putting a smile on the newly appointed technical director Biswajit Bhattacharya's face!

Chirag went 3-1 ahead in the turn of half an hour into the second period of play. Vineeth scored his brace with a neat tap in, but all the credit rested on Sunday who took the ball some thirty yards out and rounded past the defender and then the goal keeper to cross it into Vineeth who was waiting at the center to fire on to an open goal.

Lajong were not in the mood to give-up as coach Pradhyum Reddy brought in former Indian international Renedy Singh and Boithang Haokip after going two goals down.

In the 84th minute, Boithang Haokip scored for Lajong as the match headed for a tense climax.
But Chirag held on to a 3-2 scoreline and gained three crucial points which put them level on with Mumbai FC. They now have 17 points from 20 matches while Shillong Lajong stays at 27 points from 21 outings.