By Our Reporter
Shillong, May 11: Meghalaya continued their impressive run in the U-20 Men’s National Football Championship 2026 with a commanding 5-0 victory against Jharkhand in their Group A encounter on Monday, further strengthening their position as one of the early contenders in the tournament.
Having opened their campaign with a convincing 3-1 win against Bihar two days earlier, Meghalaya once again produced a dominant performance, combining attacking flair with defensive discipline to completely outplay their opponents at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground in Narainpur.
The fixture, originally scheduled for the morning, was shifted to the evening due to logistical reasons, but the change in timing did little to disrupt Meghalaya’s rhythm as they settled quickly into the contest and controlled proceedings from the opening whistle.
The star of the evening was undoubtedly Mebanlamlynti Masharing, who produced a clinical display in front of goal to register the tournament’s first hat-trick for Meghalaya. The forward opened the scoring in the 19th minute after the Meghalaya midfield carved open the Jharkhand defence with a swift attacking move.
The early breakthrough gave Meghalaya confidence and they continued to press high up the pitch, forcing Jharkhand into errors and denying them space to build attacks from the back.
Their sustained pressure paid off again in the 27th minute when Menangpyndap Khongjee doubled the lead with a composed finish, leaving Jharkhand struggling to contain Meghalaya’s pace and movement in the final third.
With a comfortable two-goal cushion, Meghalaya dictated possession for much of the remainder of the first half while remaining compact defensively whenever Jharkhand attempted to push forward.
