Shillong, May 4: Two hat-tricks were recorded on the fourth day of the Assam Rifles CAPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament for Meghalaya, both in girls’ matches, by Pynhun Shullet and I Khongwet of Umsning SC and Laitkor SC respectively.
While Umsning won their second match of the tournament, beating Umiuh SC 7-0, Laitkor defeated Mawryngkneng SC 4-0 in the Group A games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.It was no less exciting in the boys’ division, with Wahingdoh FC taking down Assam Rifles Public School 5-1 and Nongstoin District Sports Association overwhelming KV Happy Valley 8-0 in Group A.
Shullet in fact scored four goals, the first of which came in just the fourth minute with a header into the back of the net. She then stole a ball away from a defender in the 14th and then got it past the goalkeeper and after the half time break, the rising star bagged another couple of goals, first taking the ball from the midfield on the left, all the while keeping defenders at bay, and smashing the ball into the back of the net with a running shot.
Her fourth goal was similar, but Shullet came in from the right flank this time, shooting straight at the keeper, who was blindsided by a defender, which allowed the ball into the net. The other goals were scored Solina Jaba in the sixth and 10th minutes and Anjilina Lyngkhoi, who got her name on the scoresheet just before the final whistle.
Umiuh, for their part, played much better in the second half, getting the ball into the opposition half several times, but could not fashion any scoring opportunities. Meanwhile, Laitkor SC bounced back from their narrow 2-1 defeat to Umsning in the opening match with a convincing 4-0 victory over Mawryngkneng SC. N Masaw grabbed the first goal in the 23rd minute, but it was all down to Khongwet after that, as she scored in the 25th, 41st and 45th minutes.
Among the boys, McDonald Kharlyngdoh scored a brace on the way to Wahingdoh’s victory. Kharlyngdoh found the back of the net in the 10th and 26th minutes, with his team mates Adarsh Thapa (15th), Aristotle Pohshna (24th) and E Lyngdoh (49th) also registering goals.
Nongstoin, meanwhile, would have felt frustrated after KV Happy Valley managed to deny them several times in the first half, but the floodgates opened fully in the second, with all of the former’s goals coming in the last 30 minutes of the contest.
Goalkeeper Suraj Chettri and his Happy Valley defenders had a dream first half, weathering the intense pressure put on their citadel by the Nongstoin players. However, the defence opened up just enough in the second session, allowing Rapborlang Marwein to notch up the first goal in the 40th minute, with Melgiveson Lyngdoh doubling the lead five minutes later.
Apshanbor Thongni registered his first goal in the 48th minute, followed by a brace by Jovianstar L Marshillong. The only mistake Chettri made all day allowed for the sixth goal, when a looped ball forward should have been collected by the custodian, but it somehow slipped through his fingers and Nongstoin’s Rapborlang Marwein finished things off.
Credit has to be given to Happy Valley, who continued to press the attack looking for a consolation goal, backed by their vociferous fans, but their moves forward left them vulnerable to counterattacks, which resulted in the final two goals for Nongstoin, scored by Thongni (67th) and Firstbornstar Lyngkhoi (70th).
Friday will see another four matches played, all in Group B. In the girls’ games Mawpdang SC will face Lawsohtun SC at 11:30am, followed by Tyrsad Secondary School against East Jaintia Hills District Sports Association at 1:00pm. The boys’ category will see KV Laitkor against West Jaintia Hills District Sports Association at 2:15pm, with the last fixture between St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School and Rangdajied UFC at 3:45pm.
