Ludhiana, April 10 (NationPress) In a decisive match of the Indian Football League 2025-26, Shillong Lajong FC secured a 2-0 victory over Namdhari FC at the Namdhari Football Stadium on Friday. The win was propelled by two swift goals in the second half, scored by Everbrightson Sana and Ephraim Lalremtluanga.

This triumph solidifies Shillong Lajong's position in the upper tier of the standings, accumulating 14 points from eight matches, while Namdhari FC languishes in eighth place with only seven points from the same number of games.

Namdhari FC's assistant coach, Sirtaj Singh Randhawa, made a solitary change to his starting eleven, introducing Akashdeep Singh in defense, replacing Manbir Singh. Conversely, coach Birendra Thapa implemented four changes for Shillong, giving Ranit Sarkar his first appearance as goalkeeper in lieu of Siwel Rymbai. Kitboklang Khyriem substituted Samuel Muansang in defense, Abelson Jachi took over from Gladdy Nelcen Kharbuli in midfield, and Ephraim Lalremtluanga replaced Treimiki Lamurong.

Following a disjointed start to the first half, Shillong Lajong found their rhythm and began exhibiting more attacking flair. Phrangki Buam and right-back Kitboklang Khyriem were particularly active on the right side, consistently challenging the Namdhari defense. Despite Everbrightson Sana’s close header being expertly saved, Buam created several opportunities that were thwarted by goalkeeper Niraj Kumar.

Namdhari, on the other hand, relied heavily on long balls and set-piece opportunities, leveraging their physicality, but the Lajong defense held strong, leaving the first half goalless.

Things took a turn for the visitors early in the second half when they scored just eight minutes post-restart through a well-executed counter-attack following a Namdhari set piece. Phrangki Buam broke free and expertly switched play to Ephraim Lalremtluanga, who set up Everbrightson Sana for a stunning first-time volley that found the back of the net.

Four minutes later, Everbrightson turned from scorer to provider, sending a looping cross into the area that Ephraim met with a perfectly timed header, doubling their lead.

Namdhari almost responded quickly but Manvir Singh failed to convert a cross from the right. At the other end, Buam had chances to score a third but opted to assist teammates, allowing the Namdhari defense to clear.

As the match progressed, Shillong maintained control, dominating possession. Despite Namdhari's attempts to leverage long balls and physicality, they could not generate any significant threats in the final third.

Ultimately, the visitors managed to maintain their lead, sealing a crucial victory that confirms their place in the top half of the table.