Shillong, Nov 12: Shillong Lajong FC will look to make home advantage count when they host Sreenidi Deccan FC in their third fixture of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2026–27 season at the SSA Stadium, Polo, on Friday. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 PM.
The encounter brings together last season’s runners-up and third-placed teams, with both clubs having made unbeaten starts to the current campaign. They have collected four points each from their opening two matches and will be keen to strengthen their position in the early league standings.
Lajong began their campaign with a 1-0 away victory over Mohammedan SC at Kalyani before being held to a 1-1 draw by Chanmari FC in their first home fixture. Head coach Birendra Thapa’s side will now be eager to return to winning ways in front of their home supporters.
The Shillong-based club enjoyed its most successful campaign in the competition last season, finishing runners-up, just a point behind champions Diamond Harbour FC. Despite fielding an entirely Indian squad, Lajong established themselves as one of the strongest sides in the league, with several academy graduates playing important roles.
The club has retained much of that squad, including league MVP Phrangki Buam, who signed a new three-year contract, along with Everbrightson Sana, captain Kenstar Kharshong, Tremiki Lamurong and Gladdy Nelcen Kharbuli.
Lajong have shown considerable attacking intent in their opening two matches. Against Mohammedan SC, they enjoyed around 70 per cent possession, registered 32 shots and won 14 corners before Nelson Rymbai scored the winner in the 90th minute following a cutback from Abelson Jachi. Both players had started on the bench.
Jachi was also on target in the 1-1 draw against Chanmari FC, finding the equaliser in the 78th minute after Lajong had fallen behind to an own goal in the 24th minute.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s encounter, Thapa acknowledged the need to improve his team’s finishing and defensive concentration.
“In our last match we had 70 per cent possession and controlled the game, but football is not won on possession alone. We missed good chances and a single lapse at the back cost us all three points. Over the last few days, the boys have looked strong and positive in training. We have worked on improving our decision-making in the attacking third and cutting out defensive lapses, and we are ready to put in a strong performance tomorrow,” he said.
Thapa also expects a difficult challenge against his former club, having spent three years with Sreenidi Deccan. He described the visitors as a balanced side with several players possessing Indian Super League and I-League experience.
“With forwards like David Castañeda, if you give them time and space inside the box, they will punish you. We have to be aggressive in our defending, keep them away from our penalty area, and play the game in their half to give ourselves the best chance of winning,” he added.
Sreenidi Deccan, meanwhile, arrive in Shillong after collecting four points from two difficult away fixtures. They opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Rajasthan United FC in Jaipur on November 1 before drawing 1-1 with Real Kashmir FC in Srinagar a week later.
Head coach Antonio Rueda, who took charge of the club in August after previous spells with Churchill Brothers and Gokulam Kerala, has been pleased with his team’s early performances.
“Our feeling is very good because we have four points from two very difficult away matches. We won in Rajasthan and could have won against Real Kashmir as well, where only a small mistake cost us all three points, so I am happy with the effort of the players,” Rueda said.
The visitors will once again look towards captain David Castañeda, who remains central to their attacking play. The Colombian striker scored the equaliser against Real Kashmir with a header seven minutes after half-time, having earlier played a key role in Nishu Kumar’s winning goal against Rajasthan United.
Sreenidi have also shown defensive solidity, with the partnership of Pritam Kotal and Togolese centre-back Hadi Idrissou providing stability at the back, while Pronay Halder operates in front of the defence. Goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh has also made important contributions, including a late save against Real Kashmir to preserve a point.
Rueda is aware that Lajong’s attacking approach and ability to transition quickly could pose a significant threat, particularly through the pace of Sana and Buam. He also expects his team to improve its control of possession.
“Against our first two opponents, it was difficult to dominate the ball, and tomorrow could be a similar situation, so we want to spend more time on the ball and use our possession better. If we can improve our control in possession, we will create more opportunities to win the game,” he said.
Sreenidi captain Kamaljit Singh also acknowledged the challenge of another long away trip but remained confident about his team’s preparations.
“It is going to be a tough battle after another long journey, both mentally and physically, but we have not come this far for nothing. Everyone in the dressing room is positive and working together as a family. We know how crucial away points are if you want to win a championship, and we are ready to give everything we have to get a positive result from this match,” he said.
The two teams shared the points in both their meetings last season. Their first encounter on April 1 ended goalless, while the second, on May 10, finished 1-1, with Castañeda scoring for Sreenidi before Buam converted a penalty for Lajong. But those were away matches for Lajong as the club played them at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad. Interestingly, their last meeting in Shillong, in February 2025, ended in a convincing 4-0 victory for the Reds.
Lajong forward Everbrightson Sana believes the presence of the home crowd will provide additional motivation for the team.
“While we played with an all-Indian attack last season that moved very quickly on the break, our foreign players this year bring great quality to the squad. Playing at home in Shillong is always an honour and gives us a huge boost, and we want to give our fans plenty to cheer about,” he said.
Sana also stressed that the team was confident in its preparation and understood the importance of securing all three points against a strong opponent.
Tickets for Friday’s match are available at The Electronic Centre, Police Bazar; Café Shillong, Laitumkhrah; and the SSA Stadium ticket counter, Polo.
The match will be telecast live on DD Sports and Unite8 Sports, with streaming available on the Unite8 Sports YouTube channel, ZEE5 and the WAVES app.
With both sides unbeaten and separated by little in terms of their early-season performances, Friday’s contest promises to be an important test of their ambitions for the new campaign.
