SHILLONG: Meghalaya reached the final of the Sub-Junior National Football Championship after defeating Bengal 3-1 in Kalyani, West Bengal, on Sunday.
In what was their biggest test of the final round, Meghalaya found the back of the net through Samlang Rympei (16′, 90’+2) and Baniatyllilang Mawkhiew (64′) to win the first semi-final.
They will meet Arunachal Pradesh in the final on Tuesday., asArunachal beat Kerala 2-0 in the second semifinal.Meghalaya went pressing right from the word go and were awarded a penalty as early as the seventh minute but Samchaphrang Lato’s spot kick was denied by the Bengal goalkeeper with a dive.Bengal was looking far from their best as they committed a second foul in the box only a few minutes later and Rympei was able to convert the penalty this time around to put Meghalaya into the lead in the 16th minute.Meghalaya led 1-0 at half time, but the hosts then tried their best to get back in the game and were able to equalise in the 52nd minute with a header.Meghalaya twice hit the crossbar in the few minutes on either side of half time, but there was no denying Mawkhiew in the 64th when he headed in a cross off a quickly taken corner into the far part of the net to restore his team’s lead.
