Shillong, Sep 18: H Elias Higher Secondary School’s victory in the final of the U-17 boys’ Subroto Cup yesterday was a spectacular achievement and has garnered plenty of reaction.
Tributes have been coming in from all quarters after a Meghalaya school won the cup for the first time in six years. The previous winners from the state were OM Roy Memorial Higher Secondary School in 2013.
The Subroto Cup at the state level is organised by the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs and they provided the coaches and officials who travelled with the team to New Delhi.
“On behalf of the Meghalaya Football Association, I would like to congratulate H Elias Higher Secondary School – the players, school officials and coaches from the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs – for their wonderful achievement,” Meghalaya Football Association President Larsing Ming Sawyan said today. “They not only won the prestigious trophy but did well throughout the competition. In recent years not many Indian teams have won the Subroto Cup and to beat the Bangladesh team, who were the defending champions, was a remarkable effort. This is a great result for Meghalaya football and I hope to see many more such encouraging results.”
In a post on Facebook MFA CEO Arki Nongrum congratulated state coach Bobby Lyngdoh Nongbet specifically, saying, “Congratulations to the head coach Bob L Nongbet and his team. Easily one of the most accomplished youth coaches in the country”.
Former Shillong Lajong coach (now with Odisha FC) Thangboi Singto wrote on Instagram: “What a great victory by H Elias HSS, Meghalaya. And proud moment for the state. Big congrats to all players, Bobby and staff. Well done”.
Congratulatory messages also came in from footballers, including Redeem Tlang (NorthEast United), Kitboklang Pale (Langsning) and Hardycliff Nongbri (Southern Samity), through their Instagram stories.
Furthermore, Nongthymmai Sports & Cultural Club also praised H Elias, which is located in Nongthymmai, on their victory through a press release today.
