Shillong, May 30: Langsning FC made it to their first Meghalaya State League final by coming from a goal down to win the second semifinal against Shillong Lajong FC 4-2 on penalties after extra time finished 1-1.
The two teams gave us some of the best football we have witnessed in MSL 5 thus far, with Lajong taking the lead at the SSA Stadium in the first half through Fridison Wanniang (21′) before the tournament top scorer Nelson Rymbai (80′) equalised late in the game. There was no goal in 30 minutes of extra time but in the tiebreaker Langsning held their nerve to win 4-2, with goalkeeper Nister Roy Suting denying a Lajong spot kick before Samchaphrang Lato missed the last one of the evening.
Langsning will thus meet MSL debutants Nongkseh SSCC in the final on 5th June and this also means that we will have a fifth different champion of the Meghalaya State League, which is an initiative of the Meghalaya Football Association with the full support of Meghalaya’s Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs.
Another superb turnout of fans were treated to excellent play right from the first whistle, with Lajong dominating the first half and Langsning the second.
Fridison took an excellent left-footer after being fed the ball by team mate Deibormame Tongper for the lead but Langsning started to pick up the pace in the second 45 minutes, though they were not able to turn scoring opportunities into goals.
Kyrmenskhem Mukhim, a young talent who has impressed tremendously in this tournament, had a header denied by SLFC goalkeeper Banshanskhem Kharsyntiew but Nelson could not be stopped from netting his 23rd goal of MSL 5, which resulted from a Chusrang Sangma long throw-in.
Fridison’s speed and footwork almost led to Lajong scoring in extra time but, ultimately the game went to penalties and Langsning emerged as the victors, with all the fans staying right to the final whistle, so unmissable was this epic clash between spirited Shillong rivals.
For his excellent work throughout the game, leading his team from the front and scoring from the spot in the tiebreaker, Atlanson Kharmaw was named the Hello Meghalaya Man of the Match and received his memento and cheque of Rs 10,000 from MFA President Hamletson Dohling.
Nongkseh and Langsning now have a chance to recuperate for a few days before the final, which will surely be another spectacular contest that will result in the crowning of the newest Champions of Meghalaya.
(Meghalaya Football Association photo. Langsning in blue-black, Shillong Lajong in red)