Langsning take on Ar-Hima in final
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A fierce battle is on the card when Langsning FC will clash with Ar-Hima FC in the final of the 22nd All India Meghalaya Invitation Tournament 2011 on Thursday.
Both the teams deserve to be in the final as both have been consistent throughout the tournament.
The two teams have also remained undefeated in this tournament. But statistics favour Langsning since it won all the matches of the tournament before reaching the final.
Langsning and Ar-Hima emerged runners-up in some other tournaments played earlier this year.
Langsning were defeated Royal Wahingdoh FC in the final of the Bordoloi Trophy while Ar-Hima lost to the Wahingdoh in the final of the Shillong Premier League (SPL).
Two teams so far have met on four occasions in this current season and Langsning won two encounters -first leg of SPL and Bordoloi Trophy.
However, Ar-Hima did manage to defeat Langsning in the semifinal of the SPL. The one off encounter between the two teams during the second leg of the SPL ended in a draw.
The management of both the teams will have to plug their respective teams loopholes to make match out of Thursday’s final.
Langsning players always tend to lose their focus during big games and concede goals during crucial stages of a match.
Complacency has been a major problem for Ar-Hima players.
Both Langsning and Ar-Hima would not want to repeat the same mistakes in the final.
When contacted, Langsning coach L Darlong said the mood in the camp is very high.
“We would definitely want to end the year by winning this tournament,” Darlong said on the eve of the final.
In the past few weeks, he said the players have been working hard to win the tournament.
Terming Ar-Hima a tough opponent, Darlong said the team has its work cut out.
He said the team would field the same squad which played the semifinal.
Meanwhile, Ar-Hima assistant coach Khlainpyrkhat Syiemlieh said his team was confident of putting up a good show. He said the team would have to play extraordinary soccer to defeat Langsning in the final.