By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Three clubs from the state, Ar-Hima, Royal Wahingdoh and Langsning are among the 23 teams selected to play in the Second Division I-League, scheduled start in the first week of February.
The participating teams have been divided into three groups and the matches will be played in Nagpur (Maharashtra), New Delhi and Silchar (Assam). Two teams from each group will qualify for the final rounds, the venue for which will be decided later. Top two teams from the final rounds will play in the I-League 2012-13 season.
The three clubs from Meghalaya who have been placed in different groups would look to make most of the oppotunity to make a mark in the national football scenario. Given the better performances by Royal Wahingdoh, who stunned fancied opponents like Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers in the Federation Cup last year, Ar-Hima and Langsning in recent times, football fans in the state would hope to see all the three teams in the final round of theSecond Division I-League.
It may be mentioned that Wahingdoh and Ar-Hima had reached the final round of the tournament in the last edition in 2011.
Group A (Nagpur): Golden Threads (Kerala), PIFA Colaba (Mumbai), Vasco (Goa), Ar-Hima (Meghalaya), Luangmual (Mizoram), Aryan Club (Kolkata),Bhawanipore FC (Kolkata), Samaleswari (Orissa).
Group B (Delhi): Mohammedan Sporting (Kolkata),Eagles FC (Kerala), Guwahati Town Club (Assam), Aizwal FC ( Mizoram), Kenkre FC (Mumbai), Royal Wahingdoh FC (Meghalaya), Shimla Youngs (Delhi), KGF Academy (Bangalore).
Group C (Silchar): Kalighat (Kolkata), Southern Samity (Kolkata), United Sikkim (Sikkim), Sesa Academy (Goa), Green Valley (Assam), Quartz SC (Kerala), Langsning FC (Meghalaya).