Shillong, Sep 18: The much-anticipated fourth edition of the Meghalaya State League will begin on 26 October, Meghalaya Football Association General Secretary Sunesh Syiem informed today.
This season the best clubs from the various affiliated district units of the MFA will be divided between six groups of four teams each playing their round robin matches at six venues across the state, details of which will be revealed in due course.
Each of the group winners plus the two best second-placed teams from across the six groups will qualify for the quarterfinal round. This marks a change from the previous three editions, where the group winners qualified directly for the semifinals, thereby adding an extra round of action.
Rangdajied United FC are the defending champions, having defeated Khliehmawlieh Youth Club in last year’s final.
Syiem also revealed that the group stage of the inaugural Meghalaya Youth League for U-14 and U-16 boys will conclude on 28th September. The quarterfinals will then begin in the first week of October, followed by the semifinals and the final will be held on 11th October. All of the knockout matches will take place in Shillong.
Both tournaments are financially supported by the Meghalaya government.
The MFA General Secretary also provided further clarity on why Meghalaya were not allowed to participate in the ongoing Sub-Junior Boys National Football Championship (Tier 1).
TSR had reported last week that Meghalaya were barred from competing after one or more of their players were found to be outside the age restriction.
Although the players all satisfied the age criteria as per the documentation (birth certificates and Aadhaar card) provided to the MFA during screening, when they presented themselves for the All India Football Federation tournament in Bangalore they had to undergo a TW3 age screening test. This is an X-ray scan of the wrist and is used to verify age (although the test has its critics) and several Meghalaya players were, according to this test, above 14 years old.
Syiem said that the MFA had followed all due procedures available to it during screening but it is incumbent on players (and families, etc) not to tamper with their age documents.
(File photo of Rangdajied United FC winning the MSL 3 title)