Shillong, September 11: The race for the Shillong Premier League 2025 title was thrown wide open after Laitkor delivered a major 3-1 upset against league leaders Nangkiew Irat at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here this evening.
The match had almost everything, with Nangkiew Irat taking the lead 45 seconds from kick-off through Himanshu Patil (1′) only for Laitkor to equalise and then go in front via Batkyrshan Kharkongor (31′) and Wadskhem Marbaniang (39′) respectively. The heavens chose the start of the second half to open and torrential rain inundated the ground, making playing conditions a challenge, but Felixdarren Suting (76′) managed to put the game past Nangkiew Irat with Laitkor’s third goal to a rapturous reaction from the fans in the stands.
This was Nangkiew Irat’s first loss of the season, having won three and drawn one of their previous four games. They still hold first place with 10 points but could be overtaken when second-placed Mawlai (9 points) and Shillong Lajong (8) play their next fixtures. Laitkor, meanwhile, moved from eighth place to fifth, tied with Langsning on 7 points but with a poorer goal difference (+9 to +1).
Nangkiew Irat were missing some key players through suspension, like Restom Khriam and Wallamsuk Nongkhlaw, who both received red cards for a post-match fracas at the end of their game against Rangdajied United one week ago.
However, that did not seem to bother them at all as Himanshu took the lead with a header from a cross that came in from the right flank. Laitkor’s goalkeeper Deranius Wahlang managed to get a glove on the ball but could not stop it from crossing the line.
Laitkor tried long-range shots aplenty, with Sandy Kharkongor, who delivered the goods in the 2-2 draw with Nongrim Hills in Round 4, attempting three in the first 25 minutes. However, none of these were on target.
Eventually Laitkor gave up on these and in a move that saw them intent on getting into the Nangkiew Irat box, the ball fell to Batkyrshan and, with his left foot swinging powerfully, he scored with the ball skating along the ground.
Just eight minutes later Laitkor had the lead and this came through Samborwell Mynsong sprinting up the left flank. Nangkiew Irat goalie Surjay Kumar Pariyar came out to meet him but the Laitkor player passed right and Wadskhem slid along the ground to make contact with the ball, which clipped the upright before going in.
Conditions grew increasingly difficult to play in during the second half and the referees paused to inspect the pitch around an hour into the match as there were several pools of standing water. However, both teams seemed keen to get on with the game.
Set-pieces and long balls would be key in the wet and Felixdarren scored via a corner. Positioned at the far post, he aimed his kick beautifully into the top corner of the net.
Deranius also deserves mention for his performance in the second half. In the 55th minute he tipped a Banshan Nongdhar free-kick onto the crossbar and in stoppage time denied Banshan again at point blank range.
Tomorrow will witness a fight between the two teams in the drop zone – ninth-placed Malki against bottom side Nongrim Hills – at 4:30pm.
