Shillong, Aug 11: Nongkseh SS&CC finished their 135th IndianOil Durand Cup campaign in style with a dominant 7-0 win over Mumbay FC in a Group E fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Tuesday.
Hardy Cliff Nongbri and Dawancha Carlos Challam scored twice each, while Kitboklang Pale, Chesterpoul Lyngdoh and Sheen Stevenson were also on the scoresheet as Nongkseh produced their most complete performance of the campaign.
The result lifted Nongkseh to second in Group E with four points from three matches, level with Langsning FC on points but ahead on goal difference. Shillong Lajong FC lead the group with six points from two matches, with both Lajong and Langsning FC still to play their final group-stage fixture. Mumbay FC, like Nongkseh, have completed all three of their matches and end their campaign in the group stages.
Nongkseh started with intent, earning an early corner inside the first two minutes, with Pale going close from the edge of the box. The hosts continued to look sharper down the flanks, with Aenam Jurwa and Lyngdoh regularly finding space.
The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Lyngdoh was brought down inside the box by Mumbay goalkeeper Pratik Jadhav, resulting in a penalty. Nongbri stepped up and sent Jadhav the wrong way to give Nongkseh the lead.
Nongkseh continued to press for a second, with Nongbri’s free-kick in the 26th minute spilled by Jadhav before Mumbay scrambled the danger away. The visitors also began showing more attacking intent, although they struggled to seriously trouble the Nongkseh goal.
Nongkseh doubled their advantage in the 41st minute. Kynsailang Khongsit’s delivery from the right was only partially cleared, with the loose ball falling to Challam outside the box. His effort took a deflection off Pale, wrong-footing Jadhav before finding the back of the net.
Pale came close again moments later with a curling effort, but Nongkseh went into the break with a comfortable two-goal advantage.
Mumbay returned for the second half with renewed purpose, pushing more players forward in search of a way back into the match. However, Nongkseh’s defensive shape remained firm.
Shano Tariang’s effort from distance in the 50th minute went wide before Nongkseh added their third six minutes later.
Aenam recovered the ball after being fouled inside the box, dribbled past two challenges and set up Tariang. His shot was blocked, but the rebound fell to Lyngdoh, who made no mistake from close range in the 56th minute.
Jadhav’s evening then came to an end after the Mumbay goalkeeper was stretchered off with an injury sustained in the build-up to the third goal. He was replaced by Jebishan L.
Nongkseh continued to search for more goals, with Khongsit hitting the woodwork in the 65th minute before Nongbri’s follow-up was blocked. Stevenson then forced a smart save from Jebishan three minutes later.
Mumbay had their best opportunity of the match in the 70th minute when substitute Shreyas Vatekar was presented with an open net on the counter, but he could not generate enough power and Nongkseh goalkeeper Guidle Syiemlieh gathered comfortably.
The floodgates opened after that.
Challam scored Nongkseh’s fourth in the 76th minute after dribbling past three defenders down the left before calmly finishing at the near post.
Nongbri completed his brace three minutes later with a simple tap-in after being teed up by Stevenson.
Challam then added his second and Nongkseh’s sixth in the 82nd minute, with his effort from outside the box squirming underneath Jebishan and into the net.
Stevenson rounded off the scoring in the 89th minute, capitalising on a defensive error to complete a comprehensive 7-0 victory.
Nongkseh’s campaign therefore concludes with a result that will offer considerable satisfaction, even without a place in the knockout stages to show for it, while Mumbay FC depart the tournament pointless but not without moments of genuine endeavour along the way.
Group E’s remaining business now rests with Shillong Lajong FC and Langsning FC, who are both still to play their final fixtures, with a quarter-final berth at stake.
