Shillong, Jan 18: The Greater Shillong finals of the Meghalaya Baby League concluded today with Langsning Greenergy Lions, Rangdajied Eagles and Onsides Gibbons winning separate age categories after a glorious day of football.
The Greenergy Lions, who were overall champions in the inaugural MBL in 2018, won both of the finals they contested – the U-11 and U-12 categories – while the Eagles and Gibbons, both new teams, lifted the U-7 and U-9 categories after very closely fought title matches.
The champions of the Greater Shillong league will take part in the final round of the pan-Meghalaya league, which will also involve the new centres started in the other districts of the state, namely West Jaintia Hills, East Jaintia Hills, Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills next month.
Rangdajied Eagles (Mawngap centre) beat Nongthymmai GC Scorpions (Shillong Western) 2-0 in the U-7 category, while Onside Gibbons (Shillong Western) edged Little Kickers FA Ferrets (Mawngap) 2-1 in the U-9 final.
In the U-11s Langsning (Shillong Eastern) then won 2-1 against Upper Shillong Colts (Mawngap) before the U-12 final saw Langsning defeat Rangdajied 1-0 in the closest match of the day with a second half goal the only thing to separate the two teams.
Tata Trusts Head of Sports Biswanath Sinha was the chief guest on the occasion and distributed the certificates, player medals and trophies along with Meghalaya Football Association executive committee member Dipshon Ryntathiang and Treasurer Wanshanbor Kharkrang.
The second edition of the Meghalaya Baby League, which continues to be supported by Tata Trusts and the All India Football Federation as well as the Government of Meghalaya, began in August 2019 and saw tremendous expansion in its second year, going far beyond Shillong to make it a truly state-wide event. Apart from 12 teams in Shillong (divided into Eastern and Western conferences), new Mawngap and Smit centres were created with six teams in each and these three jointly formed the Greater Shillong centres.
(Meghalaya Football Association photo)
