Late equalizer salvages draw for Lajong

Late equalizer salvages draw for Lajong
Air India…1 Lajong…1
AGENCIES
MUMBAI, MARCH 31
Air India moved one place up to 8th in the ONGC I-League, as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Shillong Lajong at Cooperage, here on Wednesday.
 ND Opara put the hosts ahead in the first half, but Lajong were rewarded for their perseverance as Wailadmi Passah equalized late on. Air India goalie Arnab Das Sharma was named man-of-the-match.
Air India were without Yusuf Ibrahim and coach Yusuf Ansari started with Vijith Shetty and Praneel Mendon in the middle of the park with Tapan Maity and Allan Dias as the two wingers.
Shillong Lajong had Daniel Bedemi partnering James Gbilee upfront as Anil Gurung and Tuboi found themselves on the two wings.
The first opportunity went the visitors’ way as Kelechi Okeye’s free-kick from the left saw goalkeeper Arnab Das Sarma cover the near post well.
It was against the run of play that the airmen took lead through Opara as he coolly converted his spot-kick after being brought down by Waliladmi Passah in the 17th minute.
Khelemba Singh committed an error as he allowed Anil Gurung to get to the end of a long ball from the midfield which he duly pulled back for Tuboi, whose shot took a deflection for a corner-kick.
Arnam Das Sarma once again came to the rescue of the Mumbai club as he came up with a snap save from a Daniel Bedemi effort from outside the box in the 39th minute.
Uttam Singh’s throw-ins from the left twice saw Khelemba connect it but neither of them were on target to create trouble for Lajong.
In the second session, Daniel Bedemi was at the centre of the proceedings in the first few minutes as he had a shy on goal from inside the box with Arnab Das Sarma being stretched to ensure that their lead was intact.
Around the hour mark, Daniel released Tuboi whose fierce left footer was almost into the far corner with Arnab Das Sarma’s getting his fingers to it to concede a flag-kick.
Substitute Rohming Thanga’s corner-kick was well connected by Tuboi but it was the Air India custodian once again who denied Shillong Lajong the equaliser.
Kailash Patil sent in a curling left footer which went wide by not much in the 72 minute.
The north eastern club were winning a string of corners as the home side’s midfield looked off-colour. Air India were stranded to their own half for most part and were under pressure from the visitors.
Lajong’s efforts were rewarded towards the end when a Thanga corner kick ended in Wailadmi Passah taking his chance for redemption by scoring from a goalmouth melee.