SSA Champions Cup
By Our Reporter
Shillong, Dec 6: The semifinal lineup of the SSA Champions Cup 2025 is complete after Langsning put their best foot forward to defeat Mawkasiang 6-0 in the last group game at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here on Saturday evening.
The other match of the day saw Nongkseh beat Mawkriah West 6-1 in Group B.
The scale of Langsning’s victory meant that they moved to first place in the Group A standings, tied on 10 points with Meghalaya Police but now with a better goal difference (+10 to +7).
Nongkseh, meanwhile, needed to score at least nine goals to claim top spot in Group B but had to settle for second behind Shillong Lajong, again on goal difference (+16 to +13).
Langsning and Nongkseh will thus meet in the first semifinal on Tuesday, while Lajong will take on MLP on Wednesday. Both matches will kick off at 4:30pm. Mawkasiang could have qualified for the knockouts had they beaten Langsning but the Shillong Premier League champions looked determined and hungry from the get-go.
They scored more goals in this match than in the previous three games combined and that was not due to any shortfall on Mawkasiang’s part but simply due to the brilliance of Langsning.
Donlad Diengdoh (40’, 64’, 82’) produced a hat-trick to give him an extra boost going into the semifinals, while substitute Samuel Phawa (55’, 60’) headed in a brace.
Nelson Rymbai (32’) had struck first blood for Langsning. Earlier, Chesterpaul Lyngdoh (23’, 55’), Kitboklang Pale (25’), Khrawkupar Jana (65’), Kynsaibor Lhuid (68’) and Baiaikara Swer (84’) were the scorers for Nongkseh, while Khainkupar Iawphniaw (79’) found the back of the net for Mawkriah West.Although the four strongest teams of the 10 that entered the Champions Cup have made it to the semis, the clubs from the Second, Third and Fourth Divisions certainly provided some memorable moments and the players will surely have gained from playing among some of the top footballers of the state through this tournament.
Attention now turns to the knockouts where the two SPL teams have qualified at the top of their respective groups, with the two sides from the First Division finishing as runners-up.
Three of the four have already won SSA silverware this year – Langsning as SPL champions, Lajong as SSA Super Cup victors and Nongkseh as winners of the First Division.
The First Division teams have already shown that they can give as good as those in the SPL, with MLP holding Langsning to a 1-1 draw in the group stage, which was also the scoreline when Lajong met Nongkseh.
The action will only get more intense as the four best teams now square off in the semis – expect an uptick in performance as they fight it out for the ultimate prize!
