The 2025-2026 Indian Football League season came to an exciting end as Shillong Lajong FC secured second place in the standings with an excellent 3-0 win over champions Diamond Harbor FC at the Kalyani Stadium in Kalyani on Saturday.
Shillong Lajong headed into halftime with a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Everbrightson Sana in the 30th minute and Gladdy Nelcen Kharbuli in first-half stoppage time. The visitor capped his brilliant performance in the 54th minute when Phrangki Buam scored the third goal.
Diamond Harbor finished the campaign as champions with 29 points, while Shillong Lajong finished the season just one point behind in second place with 28 points.
With the title already secured, Kibu Vicuna fielded a heavily changed team for the final match of the season. The match started with an open ending, with both sides taking an attacking approach from the opening whistle.
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The Red Dragons benefited from a positive spell and took the lead after half an hour. They cleared the corner shortly before Damaitphang Lyngdoh, whose looping cross towards the far post caused problems for the defense. Diamond Harbor goalkeeper Susnata Malik failed to collect the ball cleanly, allowing Rudra Ved to head the ball back into a dangerous area. Everbrightson reacted quickest, nodding the ball into the empty net from four yards.
Shillong Lajong doubled its lead in the closing moments of the first half after Ephraim Lalremtluanga played the ball into open space for Phrangki Buam, who calmly rolled it into Kharbuli’s path. The midfielder then produced a beautiful curling move from the edge of the penalty area that flew into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance to keep the ball out.
The home team gave the ball away several times in their own half in the second period and was punished by Shillong Lajong for the fourth mistake. Buam scored his eighth goal of the season with a brilliant finish after being set up by Gladdy to convincingly take all three points from the already crowned champions.
Published on May 23, 2026
