Shillong, May 10: Umsning SC will meet East Jaintia Hills District Sports Association in the girls’ final of the Assam Rifles CAPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament for Meghalaya after both registered victories against their semifinal opponents here on Wednesday.
While Umsning defeated Tyrsad Higher Secondary School 4-0, East Jaintia Hills got the better of Laitkor SC 2-0.
In the 1:30pm match Umsning started off by taking an early lead through Solina Jaba in the fourth minute. The dynamo Pynhun Shullet then doubled the lead in the 15th minute after sprinting past the defensive line to receive a forward pass from Baiahunlang Mawphniang and knocking the ball into the net.
Mawphniang got her name on the scoresheet seven minutes later when Shullet took a shot on goal that was going wide, but not knowing this the Tyrsad goalkeeper moved to block the attempt. However, she could was only able to parry the ball forward and Mawphniang capitalised on the rebound and scored.
Although the scoreline was one-sided, the Tyrsad girls never looked like giving up the fight and the second half saw them create several openings, though the Umsning defence hung on and defended their citadel; this was the club’s third consecutive clean sheet out of four matches.
Umsning grabbed a fourth and final goal when a long ball was met by Shullet, who outran all of her markers. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, she slotted in the ball in the 36th minute.
The other last-four encounter was a tighter affair, with East Jaintia Hills coming through on the back of two first half goals.
Aidashisha Shadap produced a stunning goal in the 11th minute to earn the lead, while Chemis Bareh claimed the second in the 27th minute.
Shadap’s came about after a corner was not cleared properly by Laitkor. The No. 16 got on the ball and, in one fluid motion, spun around and fired, finding the top corner of the net from just inside the box.
There was nothing the Laitkor goalkeeper could have done to keep that ball out and she suffered a bad bounce to concede to Bareh, with the ball falling in front of Ibajanai Kharumnuid and then popping into the net.
Laitkor’s custodian did produce an excellent save in the second half, tipping a free-kick taken by Batbitbha Bareh onto the crossbar. Laitkor almost got a goal themselves towards the end of the match when Ibashisha Khongwet lobbed the ball just over the bar.
Meanwhile, in the boys’ semifinals on Thursday, St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School will clash with Wahingdoh FC at 1:30pm. St Anthony’s finished at the top of Group A with three victories, though two of those were very close fixtures. Wahingdoh finished second to Nongstoin District Sports Association on goal difference in Group B.
Nongstoin will then take on West Jaintia Hills District Sports Association at 3:15pm. Both matches will be played at Third Ground, Polo.
