I-League 2 - Round 7: Lajong & Sporting Clube qualify

The seventh and final Round of matches of the 2nd Division I-League 2010/11 were played on May 13/14 in Shillong. The much-expected close final round matches were non-starters as Shillong Lajong FC and Sporting Clube de Goa both won their matches to ensure they would return together to the I-League a year after they had gone down together.


Round 7 Match by Match Short Review
13-May-2011: Southern Samity 0-3 (0-3) Ar-Hima FC
Ar-Hima FC kept their slim hopes of promotion alive with a 3-0 win against a tired Southern Samity, who had only played yesterday the postponed game against Royal Wahingdoh SC. Ar-Hima FC now have 11 points from seven games with a goal difference of plus three. Southern Samity meanwhile finish last with only four points from the same number of matches.
For Ar-Hima Emmanuel Inioyoh once more was the danger man as he scored in the 7th and then again 43rd minute. Zico Zoremsanga would score the second goal in the 12th minute in-between. After the break Ar-Hima couldn't add to their goal tally.

13-May-2011: Mohammedan Sporting Club 0-1 (0-0) Shillong Lajong FC
Shillong Lajong FC scored a lone goal victory against Mohammedan Sporting Club to ensure that they will top the final round of the 2nd Division I-League to gain promotion to the top tier. Lajong finished on 16 points from seven matches, while Mohammedan Sporting gained only four points from the same number of games.
Lajong didn't put too much of an effort into the game in the first session, while Mohammedan Sporting didn't look like a side ready to create an upset. The hero of the day was P.C. Lahlimthara Mahlima with a 53rd minute strike which caused wild jubilation amongst the partisan Shillong crowd. At the final whistle it was clear that Lajong had come back into the I-League fold after a years absence.

14-May-2011: Royal Wahingdoh FC 0-2 (0-2) Sporting Clube de Goa
Sporting Clube de Goa scored a vital 2-0 win against Royal Wahingdoh FC to ensure their return to the I-League. The Goans finished on 14 points from seven matches, while Royal Wahingdoh only on five points from seven matches after they had won all their preliminary round matches.
Sporting Clube had their promotion sealed within the first 15 minutes. First a N. Samananda Singh header went into goal in the 4th minute, while Portuguese striker Eldon Maquemba doubled the lead in the 15th minute and it would remain this way until the end.

14-May-2011: Vasco SC 3-1 (2-1) United Sikkim FC
Vasco SC defeated United Sikkim FC 3-1 in their final game of the season, but the win wasn't enough to give the Goans a place in next seasons I-League. Vasco finished their engagements on 13 points in third place, while newcomers USFC finished fifth on 10 points also from seven matches.
Vasco made a quick start with Joy Ferrao's 2nd minute and Koko Sakibo's 7th minute goal. It looked all over for USFC with not many minutes gone, but they fought back with their Liberian John D. Menyongar scoring from the spot in the 28th minute. But Vasco would ensure victory with a late Koko Sakibo goal, but it wasn't enough.