Shillong Lajong players and staff celebrate after the team’s win against Diamond Habour in the Indian Football League 2025-26. | Photo Credit: AIFF

The Indian Football League 2025-26 season came to a thrilling conclusion as Shillong Lajong FC secured second place in the standings with an outstanding 3-0 victory over champion Diamond Harbour FC at the Kalyani Stadium in Kalyani on Saturday.

Shillong Lajong headed into the break with a two-goal advantage courtesy of strikes from Everbrightson Sana in the 30th minute and Gladdy Nelcen Kharbuli in stoppage time of the first half. The visitor capped off its superb display in the 54th minute when Phrangki Buam added the third goal.

Diamond Harbour finished the campaign as champion with 29 points, while Shillong Lajong ended the season just one point behind in second place with 28 points.

With the title already secured, Kibu Vicuna fielded a heavily rotated squad for the final game of the season. The match began in an open-ended fashion, with both sides adopting an attacking approach from the opening whistle.

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The Red Dragons capitalised on a positive spell to take the lead at the half-hour mark. They worked the corner kick short to Damaitphang Lyngdoh, whose looping cross towards the far post caused problems for the defence. Diamond Harbour goalkeeper Susnata Malik failed to gather the ball cleanly, allowing Rudra Ved to head it back into a dangerous area. Everbrightson reacted quickest and nodded the ball home from four yards out into an empty net.

Shillong Lajong doubled its advantage in the closing moments of the first half after Ephraim Lalremtluanga played the ball into open space for Phrangki Buam, who calmly rolled it into the path of Kharbuli. The midfielder then produced a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the box that flew into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance of keeping it out.

The home side gave away the ball in its own half in the second period on multiple occasions and was punished by Shillong Lajong on the fourth mistake. Buam scored his eighth goal of the season with a brilliant finish after being set up by Gladdy to convincingly take all three points from the already crowned champion.

Published on May 23, 2026