The match started under heavy underfoot conditions and rain persisted throughout the duration of the match. The game got its first goal in the 17th minute of the first half itself when Shillong’s South Korean defender Juho Oh fouled Marcelinho outside the Shillong box. In the resultant Pune free kick, Italian Jonathan Lucca curled a wonderful right-footer into the Shillong goal, beating custodian Nidhin Lal all ends up.

Five minutes later, fellow Brazilian midfielder Diego, snatched a ball away from Shillong’s Novin Gurung inside his own half and unleashed a solo run to find Marcelinho in space outside the Shillong box. The Brazilian took one touch to position the ball and then curled a left-footer to bring up a classy finish.

Pune were up 2-0 and looking to run away with the game when in the 29th minute, Nigerian Odafin snatched a ball outside the Pune box and drilled a pass onto the path of Koffi. The Ivorian slotted home calmly past Pune keeper Vishal Kaith to bring Shillong back into the game.

In the 61st minute, Shillong equalised, quite against the run of play. The goal had two Shillong defenders involved in it. Novin forwarded a ball to Sheen, who on the turn pushed ahead and found an overlapping Rakesh Pradhan with a through pass on the right of the Pune box. The young left back trapped and placed it calmly beyond Vishal Kaith onto the left corner- a clinical finish which would have done any striker proud.

The goal energised Shillong Lajong and they continued to pepper the Pune defence with runs down the middle by Samuela, Sheen and Redeem Talang, often finding Koffi and Rakesh Pradhan, who was brilliant with his overlaps throughout, in inviting spaces.

Then in the 90th minute, Samuela found Koffi inside the Pune box with a delectable chip and an onrushing Vishal Kaith made contact with Koffi to bring him down and referee Ramaswamy pointed to the spot. The captain drilled in a right-footer past Vishal to close out a remarkable victory. Samuela Lalempuia was named the man of the match and he received a cash prize of Rs 25,000 from Odisha Police DG Rajendra Prasad Sharma.
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TOP: Players of Shillong Lajong FC pose before their pre-quarterfinal match against Pune City FC in Bbubaneswar on April 3, 2018.
RIGHT: Samuela Lalempuia receives the man of the match prize from Police DG Rajendra Prasad Sharma in Bbubaneswar on April 3, 2018.