Shillong Lajong FC Thrash Mumbay FC 5-0 to Take Control of Durand Cup Group E
Shillong Lajong FC defeated Mumbay FC 5-0 in the Durand Cup 2026 to move top of Group E, with Everbrightson Sana scoring twice in a dominant win.
Shillong Lajong FC strengthened their position at the top of Group E in the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup with a commanding 5-0 victory over Mumbay FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday, August 8.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, Shillong Lajong dominated from the opening whistle and eventually turned the contest into a one-sided affair. Everbrightson Sana led the way with two goals, while Abhay Gurung, Tremiki Lamurong and substitute Figo Syndai also found the net.
The victory gives Lajong six points from two matches and leaves them firmly in control of Group E. Langsning FC are second with four points, Nongkseh SS&CC have one point, while Mumbay FC remain bottom without a point after two games.
For Lajong, the result represents another strong statement of intent after their successful start to the tournament.
Shillong Lajong immediately established control through aggressive pressing and attacking play down the flanks. Phrangki Buam and Jota repeatedly created problems for the Mumbay FC defence, while the hosts also looked dangerous from set pieces.
Their first major opportunity arrived in the seventh minute when Ephraim Lalremtluanga's free-kick found Arthur Pangaro at the far post. Pangaro connected with a powerful header, but Mumbay's defence managed to scramble the ball away.
Another set-piece opportunity arrived in the 14th minute, but Lajong captain Kenstar Kharshong could not make proper contact despite being unmarked.
Mumbay struggled to establish any rhythm under the sustained pressure. Their first shot on target eventually arrived in the 23rd minute, when Mandeep Singh Multani's effort lacked the power to seriously trouble Lajong goalkeeper Siwel Rymbai.
At the other end, Mumbay goalkeeper Yasheel Manish Shah was being kept increasingly busy.
He denied Sana's low effort in the 16th minute before producing an excellent goal-line save to keep out Pangaro's close-range attempt nine minutes later. Lamlallian also tested the goalkeeper from distance in the 36th minute.
Mumbay's resistance finally broke in the closing stages of the first half, and the circumstances made the collapse even more damaging. Captain and defensive leader Ahmed Faiz Khan was stretchered off in the 45th minute after twisting his ankle while attempting to clear the ball.
Within two minutes of his departure, Shillong Lajong had taken control of the contest.
Joedson Dos Santos delivered a free-kick into the danger area, finding Sana with a well-weighted delivery. Sana's header was saved by Yasheel, but Abhay Gurung reacted quickest to the rebound and finished to give Lajong the lead.
Barely 90 seconds later, the hosts doubled their advantage.
Tremiki Lamurong received the ball inside the box, shifted it away from his marker and calmly placed his finish beyond Yasheel.
The two goals in such a short period left Mumbay facing a 2-0 deficit at half-time and gave Lajong complete control heading into the second half.
Shillong Lajong continued in the same attacking vein after the restart. Gurung had an early opportunity to add another goal but sent his effort across the face of goal. The third arrived in the 52nd minute, with Tremiki turning provider.
The midfielder split the Mumbay defence with a precise pass, allowing Sana to attack the space and rifle a first-time finish into the top corner.Sana celebrated with his trademark Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired leap and mid-air spin, prompting the home crowd to respond with a loud collective "Siuuu".
The goal further underlined Sana's influence on the match and gave Lajong a commanding 3-0 lead.
Mumbay attempted to respond, with Afzar Noorani curling an effort narrowly over the crossbar in the 56th minute. However, any hopes of a comeback disappeared in the 64th minute.
A heavy touch from Dhruvmil Pandya gifted possession to Lajong, and Sana immediately punished the mistake. He drove into the penalty area before producing a composed finish for his second goal of the match and Lajong's fourth.
Despite the four-goal advantage, Lajong continued to create opportunities.
Yasheel was arguably the visitors' standout performer despite conceding five goals. He denied Kharshong from close range in the 69th minute and then produced another save against Joedson from almost point-blank range in the 79th.
His interventions prevented the scoreline from becoming even more emphatic. However, there was little he could do in the 88th minute when Lajong found their fifth.
Substitute Manbhakupar Iawphniaw delivered a cross from the left that created confusion inside the Mumbay penalty area. Abhay Chhetri's attempted clearance failed to remove the danger, allowing fellow substitute Figo Syndai to rise and head the ball into the net.
The fifth goal completed a comprehensive victory and capped an evening in which almost everything went right for the hosts.
The 5-0 victory leaves Shillong Lajong at the summit of Group E with six points from two matches. Their perfect record puts them in an excellent position to qualify for the quarter-finals, although the group stage still has matches remaining.
For Mumbay FC, the situation is considerably more difficult. They have lost both of their opening fixtures and remain without a point. The injury to captain Ahmed Faiz Khan adds another concern as the team looks to recover from a heavy defeat.
For Lajong, however, the focus will be on maintaining momentum. Their attacking depth, pressing intensity, and ability to exploit defensive mistakes were all evident against Mumbay, while Everbrightson Sana's brace provided the finishing quality.
The result establishes Shillong Lajong as one of the early teams to watch in the 135th Durand Cup and gives them a significant advantage as the battle for the Group E knockout places develops.
Durand Cup 2026: Tomorrow's Match
TRAU FC vs Indian Navy FT
Group D | August 9 | 4:00 PM IST
Venue: Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal
All 43 matches of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup are being broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLIV.
Comments (0)
to post comments, replies, and votes.
Loading comments…
