I-League: Shillong Lajong, Mumbai FC claim wins to avoid relegation
Shillong Lajong escaped relegation with a 1-0 win over East Bengal in their final match of the 2015-16 I-League while Mumbai FC produced an impressive show hammering DSK Shivajians 4-0 to stay up on Sunday.
The results meant that Aizawl FC were relegated to the second division.
Issac Vanmalsawma scored the match winner for Lajong in the 62nd minute at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Shillong. Issac scored with a deflected effort in the second half. His shot got diverted into the goal off defender Arnab Mondal beating goalkeeper T.P. Rehenesh.
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It was East Bengal's new coach Trevor James Morgan's first match at the helm.
Lajong ended their campaign sixth, with 18 points from 16 matches. East Bengal ended third with 25.
In the other relegation match at Mumbai, Mumbai FC produced an impressive show hammering DSK Shivajians 4-0 to stay up.
Eric Brown scored a brace for Mumbai, one on either half. Jayesh Rane started the scoring. Sushil Singh was the other scorer.
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Mumbai were 3-0 up at half-time. Rane scored in the 20th minute, followed by Brown (22nd) and Sushil (38). Brown completed the scoreline in the 90th minute.
Mumbai ended the campaign in fifth place at 19 points.
Debutants DSK Shivajians ended the tournament at the bottom of the nine-team tournament with 15 points. But being a corporate team in their debut season at the top flight, they enjoy a three-year impunity of exemption from relegation, as decided by the All India Federation.
Aizawl finished the campaign just above DSK, at the eighth spot, with 16 from 16, thus getting relegated.