104 matches will make MSL Season 5 biggest ever
By Our Reporter
Shillong, April 12: The Meghalaya Football Association has released the group fixtures for the 5th Meghalaya State League (MSL 5), the premier statewide football tournament, which will begin on April 15.
With 33 participating teams spread across eight groups, there will be 104 group matches this year, making MSL 5 the biggest in the tournament’s history.
Mawlai SC are the defending champions and they have been slotted in Group C where the fixtures will be played in Amlarem. The opening match, however, will take place between Nongkseh SSCC and Khimusniang SC at the Shillong Sports Association Stadium in Polo, here, on Wednesday from 5pm. All the other group games will kick off at 3pm.
Each group will see each team face each other twice over two legs, with the Top 2 progressing to the pre-quarterfinals, which will be held in May.
In keeping with the MSL’s vision to take the beautiful game right across the state, the fifth season is set to be held in two new venues this year, with Williamnagar and Amlarem scheduled to make their debut as co-hosts. In addition, Mairang will return as a venue after last hosting MSL matches in the inaugural edition.
The MSL was conceptualised by the MFA and has been fully supported by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, since its inception in 2017. The league brings together the best teams from all the affiliated district associations of the MFA in one grand competition to be crowned Champions of Meghalaya. This year the tournament is extra special as it is being organised during the MFA’s year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations.
In four editions, the pull of the MSL has vastly improved the standard of the game in all corners of Meghalaya, with honour and glory, not to mention prize money, all encouraging players and clubs to strive to be the best, to be the Champions of Meghalaya. Nothing less than the best is expected from the teams this year in the greatly expanded MSL 5.
The full group fixtures can be found in Meghalaya Football Association Facebook page.
