AGENCIES, AIZAWL: In the highly anticipated Hero I-League match, which was touted to be the title decider, kicked off under a heavy downpour and eventually, Aizawl FC emerged victorious with a 1-0 result with a goal scored late in the match (83′) by Zohmingliana Ralte.
Local player Zohmingliana Ralte scored the all-important goal at the 83rd minute in the penultimate round match in front of football crazy Aizawl fans at the packed Rajiv Gandhi Stadium and steered the team to the verge of creating history.
This stunning win put Aizawl on 36 points from 17 games, three more than Mohun Bagan (33 points from 17 matches), and now they need just a draw in their final league match against Shillong Lajong away from home on 30 April to bag the coveted I-League crown in their second season.
Mohun Bagan, who won their first I-League title two season’s back, can still be the champions if they beat Chennai City FC at home in their final match on 30 April and Aizawl lose to Shillong Lajong, the same day.
It was a remarkable turnaround for Aizawl FC, coached by Khalid Jamil, who finished eighth in their debut season last year and were almost kicked out of the I-League.
If they win the I-League title on 30 April, they will become the first club from Northeast India to do so.
Syrian Mahmoud Al Amenah was the best player on show as he was in the thick of things in most of the Aizawl attacks. He also took the corner which completely beat Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Debjit Majumder for diminutive Ralte (nicknamed Zoeta) to rise the highest and nod home to the roar of the supporters.
The first half was nothing much to write about as the wet pitch made the players a bit slippery and the poor visibility made it more difficult for them. The referee even stopped the match for five minutes due to poor visibility.
Aizawl started the second half with intent to force a result. Five minutes into the second half, Al Amna got the better of Eduardo Ferreira on the left before finding Jayesh Rane on the edge of the area. But Rane’s shot went narrowly wide.
The goal eventually came in the 83rd minute when Al Amna’s kick was misjudged by goalkeeper Majumder, who was beaten on the air, and Ralte was at the perfect position to head the ball into the empty net.
