Shillong, Oct 15: Ryntih climbed up the points table with a 2-0 victory over Nongrim Hills in the Shillong Premier League at the JN Stadium here today.
In the first leg Ryntih had defeated Nongrim 1-0 on 4th September.
Today Badonkupar Marbaniang scored for Ryntih in the 38th minute, while Manbha Iawphniaw doubled the lead in the 45th+2.
Ryntih played a very different game today, looking hungry for goals right from the outset. They also swamped Nongrim in the first half every time the latter held the ball, leaving Nongrim’s players with little idea of how to proceed other than to hoick the ball up the pitch when under pressure.
Marbaniang’s goal off an Allen Lyngdoh Nongbri free-kick was the first that Ryntih scored in the first half of any of their SPL matches so far and they quickly scored another via Iawphniaw, again off a free-kick.
Nongrim regrouped during the break and the second half was a lot closer, with end-to-end action, but captain Nikelson Bina might have been left wondering how his penalty kick early on in the second 45 minutes didn’t go in, with the ball striking the crossbar and then coming down still in play. Justerwell Tham also came close in the 85th minute, first being blocked and then going wide with the rebound.
Victory has taken Ryntih to third in the standings with 10 points, behind Rangdajied United (15) and Shillong Lajong (11). Nongrim (8), meanwhile, drop to fourth.
On Thursday Rangdajied are scheduled to face Lajong at 3PM.
(TSR photo. Badonkupar Marbaniang celebrates after scoring Ryntih’s opening goal)
