Aizawl Become First North-East Team To Win I-League

Aizawl became the first team from the North-East to win the I-League title India’s top flight competition, after they held Shillong Lajong to a 1-1 draw on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

After being relegated last season, Khalid Jamil’s side who have won 11 of its 17 matches, came from behind to snatch the title and create history.

Shillong scored in the 9th minute through the league’s top scorer Asier Pierrick Dipanda Dicka who headed home into the back of the net. William Lalnunfela equalised in the 67th minute after a free-kick was awarded to Mahmoud, but after the ball came off the post, William was there to hit home from close range.

Meanwhile Minerva Punjab FC have escaped relegation in their final match of the Hero I-League game of the season, after they held DSK Shivajians to a 4-4 draw at Balewadi Stadium, Pune on Sunday.

The visitors started poorly, conceding in the 10th minute after Kim Seong Yong beat the offside trap to coolly convert and before half time found themselves 3 goals down following goals from Seong-Yong Kim and Juan Quero Barraso in the 40th and 41st minute.

Minerva were back in the game in the 67th minute after Mahesh Khosla scored in the 67th minute, but in the 79th minute Vanlalremkima increased Shivajians lead to 4-2.

Just when it looked like the game had been put to bed Victor Amobi pulled another back for Minerva in the 83rd minute and in the last minute of the game Simranjeet Singh, with a cheeky finish to level the score and end the match 4-4.

Shivajians have now ended the season in 7th place while Minerva moved up to 9th spot.

Mohun Bagan bounced back to record a 2-1 win against Chennai City FC on Sunday at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, with the result seeing them as runners-up for the second successive time in the I-League.

The home side dominated but it was the visitors who struck first in the 31st minute through Nandakumar followed by Katsumi Yusa whose strike just before half time equalised the score.

Darryl Duffy wrapped up all three points with a strike in the 77th minute.