Shillong, Oct 17: There will be new champions of the SSA Super Cup after Meghalaya Police performed another giant-slaying effort to defeat 2025 winners Shillong Lajong 1-0 in the second semifinal at the SSA Stadium here this evening.
MLP will meet Nongkseh in the final on Monday at 5:30PM, which means that there will be new champions of the knockout tournament. Nongkseh had won the first semi against Mawlai 1-0 yesterday. To get to the semis, MLP had to beat Langsning on penalties in the playoff earlier this week.
Today, Everestarly Rynjah (40′) combined with Rapborlang Marwein to score the only goal of the game. The two have worked well for the police in the past and their combination succeeded again at breaking the defence, with Rapborlang delivering the cross from the right flank that Everestarly dived forwards at the far post to head in.
That was pretty much MLP’s only real chance of the game. Instead, it was all Lajong at the other end, with numerous chances created in the first and second halves but without success.
Attacking substitutions were made in the second half but even these failed to turn the match, as Eveningstar Bareh, MLP’s goalkeeper and his defenders stood resolute.
Lajong at the first opportunity of the game in the 12th minute but Freddy Jyrwa blasted the ball out of the stadium. Immediately after conceding SLFC pushed hard for the equaliser. Wilbert Marbaniang had a look-in but his attempt went out off a defender. There were back-to-back corners for Lajong but the cops survived by the skin of their teeth.
After the break, Lajong continued to pile on the pressure but no matter how close they got, MLP held on. Eveningstar would have been in contention for Player of the Match, as he made numerous saves, including one at point blank range to deny Banlamkupar Rynjah. Substitutes Fridison Wanniang and Deibormame Tongper produced near-misses too, with the former volleying wide at one point and Deibor heading over in stoppage time.
For his winning goal, Everestarly was named the T7 Player of the Match and received his cash award from Meghalaya Football Association President Hamletson Dohling.
Attention will now turn to the final, with both teams eager to stamp their mark and claim the title in what is the second edition of the Super Cup. Incidentally, both Meghalaya Police and Nongkseh were in the SSA First Division in 2025, with Nongkseh the champions and MLP the runners-up; it was then that they were promoted to the Shillong Premier League, where they finished third and fifth respectively.
(Shillong Sports Association photo. Shillong Lajong in red, Meghalaya Police in green)