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The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will have its astro-turf football pitch ready when Shillong Lajong play Churchill Brothers in their I-League home match.
Meghalaya deputy CM BM Lanong, who inspected the work at the JN Stadium on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the early and timely completion of the laying of the turf.
In 2011, FIFA-sponsored astro-turf was completed at an adjacent ground at Polo grounds here. Lajong who have exploited its home advantage due to heavy fanfare following an “unbeaten record” at home even while actually playing at an away-from-home matches in Imphal and Guwahati.
During its first season stint at the I-League in 2009, Shillong Lajong’s home matches have always been witnessed by 15,000 – 20,000 fans.
Lajong coach Pradyum Reddy said I-League football teams dread facing Shillong Lajong at latter’s home turf.
“We have a massive advantage and even top football teams are intimidated by the crowd,” Reddy said.
Club’s secretary and promoter Larsing M Sawyan said, “Once the ground (at JN Stadium) is ready for our matches, we believe Shillong fans will be able to witness high quality football.”
Sawyan claims his team plays “possession-football” and for this, it requires good grounds.
Lauding the state government’s pro-active support to promote towards the cause of football, he said, “The AFC in Kuala Lumpur has taken note of this fact and the AIFF were happy.”
The state government-funded Rs 5.39 crore project at the JN Stadium was completed at a record time of less than eight months.
Sawyan said, “This initiative supporting sports infrastructure by Meghalaya government is exemplary and I hope other states take note of this.”
Source – PTI
