Among the thousands of fans who packed into the SSA Stadium yesterday was our very own Bhogtoram Mawroh. Here are his thoughts on the MSL final and his hopes for the rest of 2026…
It had been many years since I last saw a football stadium in Shillong packed to capacity. Ever since Nongkseh emerged as serious contenders for the top honours in state football a good crowd was almost guaranteed, regardless of the outcome. The final of MSL 5 was no exception. This time, however, they were matched by the supporters of Langsning, who also turned up in huge numbers to back their team.
There were reports a couple of years ago that Langsning were on the verge of shutting down due to financial constraints. However, they managed to raise the funds needed to keep the club alive and entered this MSL campaign as the reigning Shillong Premier League champions. It therefore came as quite a surprise that they were required to play in Mairang, where the pitch conditions were far from ideal, while Nongkseh were allowed to play in Shillong despite being champions only of the First Division. Admittedly, Nongkseh had also won the SSA Champions Cup, which could be used to justify their playing in Shillong. Nevertheless, Langsning deserved better playing conditions. That notwithstanding, it was fitting that two of the best teams in the state finally met on the biggest stage and the spectators were not disappointed.
Both teams lined up with a back four and a lone striker, but their midfield setups differed. Langsning deployed a three-man midfield consisting of Manbhalang Nongmin, Dibormi Ki-o Kassar and Chusrang Ch Sangma. Nongkseh, on the other hand, pushed Kitboklang Pale further forward in the role of a number ten, operating just behind the striker. Kitbok has always been a special player and, in my view, someone who should have featured more prominently at higher levels of the game. During his prime, he was simply unstoppable, whether through his dribbling ability or his shooting. I still vividly remember his free-kick against Shillong Lajong in the 2018 SPL final that secured the trophy for Langsning. Over time, however, his pace has declined, and I feel the number ten role is where he can prolong his career. Even in this match, whenever the ball was at his feet, despite the chaos around him, it felt as though time had slowed down. That is what great players do – they make the game look easy. In the first half, he unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box that whizzed just wide of the far post, leaving Langsning goalkeeper Nister Roy Suting completely flat-footed. He was dispossessed on a few occasions, but that was largely due to the intense pressing employed by Langsning. It was the same tactic they had successfully used against Lajong in the semifinal.
Lajong’s route to the semis was built on intense pressing, positional play and constant rotations. Therefore, I was intrigued to see how Langsning would counter Lajong’s press. To my pleasant surprise, they responded with a pressing game of their own. As a result, Lajong were unable to involve their midfield as much as they would have liked and were often forced to play long balls. The same thing happened in the final against Nongkseh.
Langsning’s players man-marked their Nongkseh counterparts, pressing them relentlessly and dispossessing them whenever they received the ball. The standout player in this regard was Dibormi, who has become one of Langsning’s most important players. In the semifinal against Lajong, he man-marked Riborlang Lyngkhoi Lyngdoh, completely nullifying the highly promising young playmaker. He repeated the feat against Nongkseh in the final.
During the 2025 SPL campaign, Dibormi played for Rangdajied. In their crucial match against Mawlai – a game that would have crowned Mawlai champions had they won – he more than held his own. Despite Mawlai’s relentless pressure, he remained calm and composed. In this final as well, he held the midfield together, delivering a commanding performance. The only aspects currently missing from his game appear to be the ability to deliver crosses with pace and, more importantly, accurate shooting. If he can improve in those areas, he has the potential to become a complete midfielder.
Supporting Dibormi in midfield was Chusrang, whose long throw-ins are more dangerous than many set-pieces, giving Langsning an additional weapon in their arsenal. When I first saw him play in the SPL, I felt he was trying too hard to create opportunities, with many of his audacious passes coming to nothing. However, in the MSL, he appeared to have developed a much better understanding of his role and kept his game simple, which made him far more effective. It was one of his throw-ins that led to the opening goal of the match, resulting in an own goal by Banpynkhrawnam Nongkhlaw. In the first half especially, the midfield trio of Manbhalang, Dibormi and Chusrang performed their roles exceptionally well, forcing Nongkseh to bypass the midfield entirely and play long balls towards Sheen Stevenson Sohktung and, in particular, Khrawkupar Jana.
Both Langsning and Nongkseh played with a lone striker up front in the form of Nelson Rymbai and Khrawkupar respectively. Nelson finished as the highest scorer of the MSL, while Khrawkupar has been in and out of the team and has missed several scoring opportunities whenever he has featured. During his time with Mawlai, he scored goals for fun, but he has been experiencing a prolonged dry spell in front of goal. The two players are similar in profile – big, strong forwards tasked with holding up the ball, winning aerial duels, and flicking passes on to their attacking team mates. In these aspects, however, Nelson appears to have the edge over Khraw, whose first touch and hold-up play have often been inconsistent. Nelson is also quicker on the dribble, allowing him to escape tight situations. This was evident in the match against Lajong, where he managed to wriggle free despite being surrounded by three defenders. He is built like a bull and plays with the same relentless intensity, maintaining his work rate throughout the full 90 minutes. If Everbrightson Mylliempdah were to leave Lajong after what has been a highly successful season, I would very much like to see Nelson take his place and play for the club in the I-League. On the other hand, Khrawkupar was completely nullified in the final by Wallambok Dkhar, who marked him out of the game.
In the second half, Khrawkupar was replaced by Shano Tariang, who is much more agile and technically proficient. He played the role of a roaming forward, while Kitbok moved into a more central position. Nongkseh also tried to play more through the midfield rather than simply hoofing the ball forward. The equaliser finally came from a cross by Fullmoon Mukhim that was won in the air by Hardy Cliff Nongbri. The ball was then recycled by Sheen, allowing Hardy to head it into the net. The man-marking that Langsning had employed so effectively in the first half was nowhere to be seen at the beginning of the second. There were three Nongkseh players in position to attack the cross – Shano, Hardy, and Chesterpaul Lyngdoh. In the first half, Chusrang had been marking Hardy, but on this occasion he was nowhere near him.
If there is one player who has been instrumental in Nongkseh’s rise to the top of Meghalaya football, it has to be Hardy. He has consistently scored crucial goals for the team. It was his goals that helped Nongkseh win the First Division and the SSA Champions Cup, and in this final, it was his goal that brought them back into the match. I was always convinced that if Langsning were to have any chance of winning, they needed to contain Hardy, and for long periods of the game they did just that. Although he came close to scoring in the first half when his corner kick struck the crossbar, he was largely neutralised by the man-marking and intense pressing of the Langsning midfield. Even then, however, he managed to shrug off his markers and find pockets of space in dangerous areas. He was always a threat. Take Hardy out of this team, and Nongkseh may struggle against stronger opponents in crucial matches. He can appear ineffective in midfield for long stretches, but then suddenly he will deliver a dangerous cross, arrive in the box with impeccable timing, or score a worldie from outside the area. I was surprised when he left Lajong’s I-League squad to join Nongkseh in the First Division. Yet he has always been a champion, and in this final he reminded everyone why.
The winning goal came through a classic counterattack. As Langsning pushed forward in search of a winner, the ball fell to Banpynkhrawnam, who launched it into Langsning’s half. Shano flicked it on to Kitbok, who patiently waited for Shano’s run before calmly sliding the ball into his path. Shano then finished with composure. It was a beautiful move in which Shano’s industry and Kitbok’s class was on full display.
There was still time for Langsning to mount a comeback, but by then they had lost their composure. Almost every ball was played long and was dealt with comfortably by the Nongkseh defence. It was only later that the players settled down and began trying to play their usual game again. Their final chance came from a cross by Mangkara Sambor Sun, which was headed by Donlad Diengdoh straight into the hands of a grateful Guidle Syiemlieh. I remember a time when Guidle was distraught after a terrible error in the SPL when he played for Malki in 2018. That was a long time ago and now he has emerged as a champion of Meghalaya football – a fitting reward for years of hard work and perseverance.
Up until half time, Langsning were the better team and looked far more organised. They had a clear game plan and executed it perfectly. However, in the second half, their energy levels were not as high as they had been in the first. They did not lose the match when Nongkseh scored the second goal. Rather, they lost it when they lost their nerve and started resorting to long balls. A fellow spectator sitting beside me also remarked that Langsning looked extremely nervous after conceding that goal. There was still plenty of time left in the match, and had they remained composed, they were more than capable of competing with Nongkseh. In this regard, they can learn from Lajong’s performances in this year’s I-League, where the team consistently displayed tremendous calmness even after falling behind. The best example was their match against Rajasthan United. After conceding an early goal, Lajong did not panic. They continued to play their game, trusted their system, and eventually won comfortably by a scoreline of 4–2. It was precisely this composure that brought them such success this season, helping them achieve their highest-ever finish as runners-up. The lesson is simple: do not panic; keep playing your game.
Langsning are a very well-organised team. If they can keep their squad together, this experience could help them mount a serious challenge for the SPL title. With the experience they have gained and, hopefully, greater maturity in crucial moments, they will be strong contenders. Nongkseh, with their collection of match-winning players, will probably start as favourites for the SPL title. They can only be beaten if key players are unavailable through injury or if their opponents remain fully alert and disciplined throughout the match. Mawlai, meanwhile, appear to be gradually finding their rhythm, but they still seem like a team that lacks patience. I did not watch many of their matches in the current MSL, but during their I-League 3 campaign they often looked like a side trying too hard, particularly when attempting to force play through the middle despite there being little space. Like Langsning, they need greater patience. They have elite coaches who will undoubtedly prepare them well, but on the pitch they need to show more composure, especially in high-pressure situations. Lajong, on the other hand, will always be a formidable opponent because of their technically gifted players and tactical intelligence. The way this MSL season has concluded promises an exhilarating new campaign ahead, filled with renewed rivalries and the prospect of high-quality football. I am genuinely hopeful that the upcoming season will be one of the most exciting in recent years.
(Meghalaya Football Association photo)