Shillong, Jun 6: Smit overturned a one-goal deficit to beat neighbours Nongkrem 3-1 in the U-18 Shillong Premier League at Third Ground here today.
This was Smit’s second win in five games. They’ve played more matches than any other team and what makes it all the more impressive is that they’ve had to play these games with practically the same squad without substitutes as they were only able to register 12 players for the tournament.
Nongkrem took the lead in the 25th minute via Shaipyrkhat Kharbuli, but Pynkhlainborlang Nongrum (one of Smit’s goalkeepers, but who we’ve seen in the outfield for the most part) equalised in the 37th.
Bannangkiew Khriam (No. 23 in the photo) proved to be the change maker in the second half for Smit, timing his runs past the defensive line perfectly on two occasions for a brace of goals that gave his club victory.
His first goal came in the 75th minute when he met a forward ball. He was marked by a couple of defenders and even had the Nongkrem goalkeeper rushing towards him, but he kept his head and lobbed the goalie to put Smit into the lead.
Khriam almost got another goal in the following minutes in nearly the exact same fashion, but this time Nongkrem were able to keep him at bay.
There was no stopping his second strike, with Khriam fed a through ball on the right. Nongkrem keeper Paiabanshan Lyngdoh held his ground at the near post this time, but the Smit player angled his shot and found the back of the net in the 84th minute.
Tomorrow a winless Lawsohtun are scheduled to take on reigning champions Langsning at 3:45PM.
(TSR photo)
