Shillong, Jul 21: A confident and assured Langsning celebrated championship glory at the JN Stadium here today by convincingly winning the U-18 Shillong Premier League final 3-0 against Sawmer.
Langsning’s only defeat all season was to Sawmer in the league stage on 26th June (1-0 was the result), but that didn’t really look like being repeated today, with the eventual champions starting strongly.
Arkidalang Myrthong scored his first goal since Langsning’s opening match in only the 11th minute by squeezing the ball past the goalkeeper at the near post on the right flank, before Figo Syndai doubled the lead in the 18th minute from an almost impossibly tight angle on the left flank, with the No. 30 aiming for the far post and getting the ball into the net off the upright.
Prior to this match just three of Langsning’s 15 goals had come in the first half but in the finale they managed to produce two in less than 20 minutes after kick-off.
Sawmer’s Rapborlang Marwein, Fernando Sohkhlet and Justerwell Tham were impressive, but the runners-up couldn’t really challenge Langsning goalie Deranius Wahlang, though they did have a free-kick in the first half and corner in the second that looked promising.
Syndai struck the bar twice in the second 45 minutes and also missed a sure goal with around five minutes left in the game. If he had converted any one of these he would have been the joint top scorer. As it is, he ended the tournament in joint second place with six goals, tied with Nangkiew Irat’s Hiamdorlang Mairom and behind Shillong Lajong’s Apborlang Kurbah.
Sawmer’s keeper, Mebankyrshan Ryntathiang, also produced a couple of good saves in the second half to keep his club in the match, but his team mates weren’t able to threaten the opponents’ citadel, despite the best efforts of the sizeable crowd to will them to score.
The final nail in the coffin arrived in the 85th minute when Wanskhem Marbaniang scored his only goal of the tournament by whacking the ball into the top corner of the Sawmer net.
Langsning thus took home the trophy as well as a winners’ cheque for Rs 40,000. Sawmer received Rs 25,000. The trophy was presented by chief guest and Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs Deputy Director JR Marak. Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh and Urban Affairs Minister Hamletson Dohling were also present and distributed the medals to the players.
First Division and Third Division
Meanwhile, the last 42 minutes of the rained out First Division fixture between Rising FC and Marbisu were played out today afternoon. Only the first 48 minutes of their Thursday fixture could be played before torrential rain started to fall. The score then was 0-0, but today Rising struck two goals courtesy Fourstar Pohshna (49′) and Willbert D Marbaniang (68′), while Marbisu scored one by Shaipherbok Babai (65′).
The Third Division also began today. The results are as follows:
Umlyngka 3 – 1 Krang
Mawtawar 3 – 0 Pynthorbah
(TSR photo)
