Shillong, Aug 30: Umlyngka and Mawkriah West will go toe to toe in the final of the Shillong Sports Association’s Third Division 2025 at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here today. Kick-off will be at 4:30PM.
Both teams have already secured promotion to next season’s Second Division but this will be a fight for the trophy and the glory that comes with it.
Umlyngka haven’t had it all go their way this season. Drawn in the five-team Group B, they won their first two matches 5-1 and 5-0 against Imson and Rynjah respectively, then drew 0-0 with Lumparing and lost 1-0 to group toppers Umrynjah.
They didn’t score in either of the two knockout matches that followed, requiring penalties to win the quarterfinal 7-6 against Sanmer on 12th August before getting their revenge against Umrynjah 4-3 in the semifinal on 25th August.
This means, however, that they have gone four consecutive matches without scoring a single goal. It’s therefore quite incredible that they have reached the final but they managed it with a dogged defence and surefooted performances in penalty shootouts.
Mawkriah West also got to the final via a tiebreaker but only after a hugely entertaining semifinal against Madan SCC finished at 2-2 after extra time. That shootout also ended 4-3.
Before that, they came from behind to beat Iatyllilang FC 4-2 in the quarterfinals on 19th August. In the first round, Mawkriah West were in the four-team Group D where they won 2-1 against Laitlyngkot, 4-1 versus Lamlynti before drawing 1-1 with Umiew Maw U Sam.
Mawkriah West have scored more goals than Umlyngka (13 to 10) but have also conceded more (7 to 2). Umlyngka have also kept four clean sheets while Mawkriah West have conceded in every game they’ve played this season. The final will thus be impossible to predict but should be thoroughly entertaining.
(TSR file photos)
