Shillong, Nov 3: Getting back into the I-League four seasons after they were relegated is one thing but Shillong Lajong FC’s players are hungry for further success, coach Bobby Lyngdoh Nongbet said a day before his side play their first match of the 2023-24 season against Mohammedan Sporting.
Mohammedan will host the match at the Naihati Stadium in West Bengal today, with kick-off scheduled for 7PM.
Mohammedan were only eighth in the standings last year but Nongbet expects a strong challenge from them this evening. Incidentally, Mohammedan’s assistant coach is none other than Alison Kharsyntiew, who spent many years at Lajong, and there are a couple of Meghalayans in the squad – Padam Chettri and Denzil Kharshandi – as well as a former Lajong player Samuel Lalmuanpuia.
From promotion to the I-League earlier this year, SLFC have had a few short months to build up the team that they are taking to the second tier in Indian football and have made a few acquisitions, both at home and abroad.
“The players are more hungry and determined than any other team to play in this season of the I-League after qualifying from the Second Division League,” Nongbet said.
Playing against the Black Panthers “will be one of Lajong’s toughest matches this season considering the fact that they are playing away and against a strong team that had won their previous game against Aizawl FC (2-1 on 29th October at home),” he added while applauding his fellow coach Andrey Chernyshov and the club for the performance.
I-League matches this year will be telecast live on Eurosport India as well as streamed on the Indian Football YouTube channel and Fancode for OTT users.
(Shillong Lajong FC photo)
