Shillong, Dec 30: Third time’s the charm, or so they say, and so it proved for Laitkor SC, who finally got their hands on the champions’ trophy of the Shillong Sports Association’s Women’s Football League 2024 by beating PFR Academy 2-0 at First Ground, Polo, here today.
Laitkor were runners-up in 2022 and 2023 but made good on their potential at the third time of asking.
Today saw both sides itching to strike first but were unable to score in a goalless first half. That all quickly changed early in the second half of the 70-minute match as Sanfida Nongrum (38′) and Ribahunshisha Kharshiing (40′) netted within minutes of the restart to give Laitkor a two-goal cushion.
PFR thought they had pulled a goal back later on but this was overturned for offside and Laitkor held on for a clean sheet and victory.
The two finalists both emerged out of Group A and met in the first match of the season on 11th December, which Laitkor won. They thus had the rather unusual privilege of opening a tournament and closing it as well.
The champions received a cheque of Rs 50,000 from the SSA as winners, an increase from the Rs 30,000 for last year’s champions. PFR took home Rs 25,000 as runners-up.
There were two individual awards presented at the prize distribution ceremony, with Ribahunshisha named Player of the Final and Nisilia Majaw of PFR the Top Scorer. Although unable to find the back of the net today, Nisilia had thundered in 23 goals over the course of the tournament, including an incredible 15 against Mawpat alone during the group stage.
Senior SSA officials and Lambor Malngiang MDC were among the dignitaries present on the last day of football in SSA tournaments in 2024.
(TSR photo)