PANCHUKULA: Minerva FC regained the top spot in the I-League standings with a hard-fought 3-2 win over a spirited Shillong Lajong here today.
Guy Dano (6th minute) and Gangandeep Bali (45+2' and 81') scored for the hosts while Daniel Odafin (60') and Lawrence Doe (64') got their names on the scoresheet for the visitors at the Tau Devi Lal stadium.
Khogen Singh got the home side configured in 4-2-3-1 formation with former East Bengal midfielder Armand Bazie being given a start.
The visitors adopted the traditional 4-4-2 with Saihou Jagne and Abdoulaye Koffi designated as the two strikers.
After conceding for the third time in the match, Shilong Lajong tried their best in the dying moments to score the equalisers, but Minerve FC prevailed.
Thanks to the win, Minerva climbed a spot to the top of the table with 29 points from 13 matches. They pushed down top division debutants Neroca FC to the second place.
Neroca, who have played 14 matches, trail Minerva by two points.
Lajong remain at the fifth position in the 10-team league ladder with 17 points from 15 matches, while Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are placed third and fourth respectively.