Shillong, Mar 9: Mawlai SC will have a chance to claim the OC Blue Shillong Premier League 2024 title a little early when they take on Laitkor SC tomorrow. Kick-off at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, will be at 3PM.
Unbeaten throughout the current season, Mawlai have won 14 out of their 16 matches so far, with the other two games ending in draws.
A win against Laitkor will be enough for Mawlai to move to 47 points and make it impossible for second-placed Shillong Lajong FC (42 points) to catch them.
However, Laitkor cannot be taken lightly. Playing in their first OC Blue SPL season, they have produced some solid performances, such as the 2-0 win against Rangdajied United FC last month. They fought hard against Mawlai in the first leg and lost that by the slimmest of margins (1-0). Laitkor also have their own motivation driving them forwards – a draw would lift them from sixth to fifth place in the standings, while victory would be even sweeter as it would see them finish their maiden season in fourth place.
Anything less than a win for Mawlai and the fight for the OC Blue SPL title will be taken to the last day, i.e. Saturday, when they will face Lajong in the season-ender.
Mawlai are the current holders and are looking for a hat-trick (also known as a “three-peat”) of OC Blue SPL trophies, having won in 2022 (their first year after being promoted back from the First Division) and 2023.
Lajong, on the other hand, are four-time SPL champions (2014-2016 and 2019) but their path to a fifth is currently out of their hands. They will be watching tomorrow’s result closely, as will all Laitkor, Mawlai and other football-loving fans of Shillong.
(Mawlai-Laitkor file photo from the first leg)
