Fed Cup: Lajong beat Dempo, JCT bow out

Shillong's Lajong FC defeated Dempo Sports Club of Goa 2-1, while VIVA Kerala and JCT played a goalless draw in the 31st Federation Cup football tournament in Guwahati on Thursday.

In the first match of the day played at the Nehru stadium, Anil Gurung's scored the opening goal for Lajong in the seventh minute while Antio Periera drew the parity for Dempo in the 35th minute to go into the breather locked at 1-1.

But late into the match, Seiko Tukoik scored the all-important winning goal for Lajong in the 81st minute.

In the other match of the day, VIVA Kerala drew goalless with JCT in the Satindra Mohan Dev Stadium at Silchar.

JCT tried every trick in the book but could not breach the Viva Kerala defence and crashed out of the Federation Cup.

Desperately needing a win to stay afloat in the race for a berth in the semi-finals, JCT did everything they could but Viva Kerala walked out with a draw, their second successive, to keep alive their hopes for a last four place.

Not that JCT did not get their chances in the Group A outing.

One such opportunity came Daljit Singh's way early in the match but the JCT player shot wide.

For the Kerala side, Shibin Lal was equally off-target after receiving a Karma corner inside the box.

JCT nearly scored in the 20th minute when Balwant Singh played a one-two with Henry and unleashed a powerful shot, which was blocked by Viva Kerala custodian EC Sharath and Baldeep Singh's effort on the rebound ricocheted off the crossbar.

On another occasion, Balwant's header off a Harish Sharma free kick missed the mark by a whisker.

Realising how time was running out, JCT upped the ante in the second half and Rakinderjit Singh sent a 25-yard piledriver which was parried away by an alert Sharath.

The Kerala outfit almost scored against the run of play in the 70th minute but Karma's shot from 18 yards was well saved by JCT keeper Karanjit Singh.