Shillong Lajong FC kept itself in the title race with a 4-2 win over Rajasthan United FC in its Star Cement Indian Football League 2025-26 Championship Phase match at the SSA Stadium in Shillong on Friday.
Gladdy Nelcen Kharbuli, Everbrightson Sana, Phrangki Buam and Rudra Ved scored for Shillong, while Alan Thapa and Gerard Artigas found the net for Rajasthan.
The win kept Shillong second in the standings with 25 points from 13 matches, three behind leader Diamond Harbour FC, which has a game in hand. Rajasthan remained fourth with 17 points.
Needing a win to stay in the title race, Shillong started with urgency and looked to stretch Rajasthan through the flanks. Figo Syndai delivered a couple of dangerous early crosses, while Damaitphang Lyngdoh registered the host’s first attempt in the third minute, firing narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
Shillong maintained a high press in the opening stages, with Syndai and Buam repeatedly testing Rajasthan’s defensive shape. Kenstar Kharshong nearly opened the scoring in the 15th minute when his long-range strike hit the side-netting, before Buam rattled the woodwork two minutes later with a fierce low effort from Sana’s cut-back.
Despite Shillong’s dominance, Rajasthan took the lead against the run of play in the 20th minute through Thapa. A loose touch at the back allowed the midfielder to pounce on possession before unleashing a powerful strike from outside the box that beat Ranit Sarkar at his near post.
Shillong continued to push forward and was rewarded in the 39th minute. Syndai drove down the right and whipped in a dangerous low cross, with Kharbuli applying the finishing touch from close range inside a crowded penalty area.
The host completed the turnaround in first-half stoppage time from a set-piece situation. James Kithan failed to punch clear from a corner, allowing Kharshong to recycle possession and find Sana at the near post. The forward poked home from close range to make it 2-1 at the break.
Rajasthan began the second half with greater control and nearly equalised early when Artigas burst down the right and delivered a low cross across goal, but Thapa failed to make contact at the near post.
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The visitor’s improved spell eventually brought the equaliser in the 69th minute. Artigas spotted a gap in the Shillong defence, surged into the box and lifted the ball over the advancing Sarkar to make it 2-2.
Shillong, which had struggled to create clear openings for large parts of the second half, regained the lead in the 74th minute after Kharshong was brought down inside the box by Abdul Samed Ango. Buam stepped up and rifled the penalty into the top-left corner.
The host added a fourth five minutes later from a short-corner routine. Kharbuli flicked the ball towards Rudra at the far post, and the substitute finished from point-blank range.
Rajasthan nearly reduced the deficit in the 84th minute when Artigas unleashed a powerful low strike inside the box, but Saveme Tariang produced an excellent goal-line clearance to preserve Shillong’s two-goal cushion.
The visitor pushed forward in the closing stages, but Shillong managed the final minutes well to seal an important win in the title race.
Published on May 15, 2026