By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 15: Bad weather, bad playing conditions failed to dampen the spirit of the players during the inaugural match of the Shillong Premier League 2021-22. The league itself is making a comeback after a two-year hiatus forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the opening game, Mawlai SC blanked Nangkiew Irat SC 2-0 at the Third Ground in Polo on Wednesday. Manbha Iawphniaw (52’) and Damonlang Pathaw (59’) scored for Mawlai in the second half.
Two years’ break meant that there has been a real longing for the return of the SPL and that could be seen with the great turnout of fans who thronged the temporary stands put up at the ground.
Well, the temporary stands were not enough to accommodate the football lovers. There were scores of fans standing next to the ground witnessing the action. There were people, even on rooftops of nearby structures, eagerly soaking in the match experience.
The teams seemed evenly matched during the opening minutes. With both teams making exciting runs towards the opposition’s goal.
Mawlai, however, soon took control of the game – their mid-field controlling the pace of the game and their forwards troubling the Nangkiew Irat defence. Guidle Syiemlieh, Nangkiew Irat’s goalie, however, towered in front of the goal, ensuring that his team never went behind.
But, Nangkiew Irat looked dangerous towards the end of the first half, seeing more of the ball and making frequent threats to the Mawlai goal, with the lanky Bris Taro denied before half an hour after Mawlai gave the ball away too cheaply.
Their best opportunity came in the 35th minute with a free-kick a few yards outside the box but Pynche Tyngkan’s strike was easily gathered by Mawlai goalie Neithovilie Chalieu.
Nangkiew Irat looked to have lacked the killing touch, thereby squandering those scoring opportunities.
After the break, it only took Mawlai 7 minutes to break the deadlock. In the 52nd minute, a through ball from the left flank by Donald Diengdoh found Iawphniaw, who went to ground outside the box, but still managed to pull off a terrific strike to go past Nangkiew Irat substitute goalkeeper Bobbyson Nongtdu, who replaced Syiemlieh at the start of the second half.
“We did not play our best football today,” Mawlai manager Jerry Sutnga told The Shillong Times after the game. “We missed some chances today. We cannot afford that as we seriously want to contend for the championship.”
“The playing conditions were not great today, but the players were excited to play irrespective of that. Playing in the completion after the two-year break really made the players happy,” Sutnga added.
Mawlai did not have to wait long to double their lead. Nikelson Bina took a short and quick corner that found Samuel Lyngdoh Kynshi who then lobbed the ball towards the far post. Pathaw, who was unmarked then headed in to get into the score sheet.
The game petered out a little after that until right at the very end when Pynbha Suting and Kynshi both fired in strong attempts but were blocked.