Shillong, Jan 29: Langsning FC climbed to sixth place after a 2-0 win against Nongthymmai SC in the OC Blue Shillong Premier League 2024 at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here on Wednesday.
Rhitso Mero scored a brace of goals in the 25th and 71st minutes to lift Langsning to 14 points. Langsning have started the second leg positively, with 7 points from three games. Ninth-placed Nongthymmai, conversely, have now lost six consecutive matches and remain stuck on 7 points in the relegation zone.
Nongthymmai lost to Langsning in the first leg 3-2 on 23 October and needed a win to help them fight to avoid the drop.
However, Langsning have experienced a turnaround in form and they had momentum almost from the beginning. Dauruhipaia Pale smashed the crossbar in the 15th minute and the first goal was scored 10 minutes later.
Chusrang Sangma, a long throw-in expert, hurled the ball into the box and Rhitso headed it in for his second goal in as many matches. A minute later, the player from Nagaland was denied a second when Nongthymmai’s Mowell Chyne threw his body into the line of the shot.
Nongthymmai did have one good chance before halftime when Rudolf Shadap clapped the crossbar on the run, which his teammate, Andyson Lapang, repeated at the other end in the second half.
Rhitso did get his brace in the 71st minute after Manbhalang Nongmin fired the ball low into the box, which was helped into the net by the Number 10.
Langsning could have had even more goals but Mecheal Roy Kurbah missed a sitter after going one-on-one with Nongthymmai goalkeeper Akash Thapa, who then went on to block a strong shot from Daohipaia Rymbai in stoppage time.
On Thursday, Rangdajied United FC will take on Ryntih FC at 2:30 pm. Rangdajied had won the first leg fixture 3-0 on 30 October.
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