Shillong, Sep 15: Mawlai went to the top of the Shillong Premier League 2025 table with a 4-0 rout of Mylliem as Loving Suting scored a memorable hat-trick at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here today.
Loving found the back of the net in the 16th, 40th and 49th minutes, with Fairming Suting (18′) being the other scorer.
After five rounds Mawlai have overtaken Nangkiew Irat with 12 points to 10. Mylliem stay in seventh place with 5 points.
Although the result was completely one-sided, it was Mylliem who had the first real chance, which Wanshan Dkhar sent wide of the target.
Loving then scored off the second of two chances. His first was blocked by Mylliem goalkeeper Rihoklang Khongjoh but the Mawlai No. 10 was able to get another opportunity and this time he converted, striking the ball high out of Rihok’s reach.
Just two minutes later, Loving turned provider, setting up Fairming, who took a pinpoint accurate shot from just inside the edge of the box.
Mylliem were a shadow of the team that held defending champions Shillong Lajong to a 1-1 draw last Tuesday and were guilty of plenty of miss-passes and poor touches.
Mawlai did not relent at all and were able to add a third before half time. Kevin Rymbai hit the woodwork with a curling left-footer that deserved a goal on its own but the ball bounced back in play and Loving converted the chance for his second of the evening.
Early in the second half, a through ball from Fairming for Loving saw the latter run with it into the box before dinking it past the outstretched arms of Rihoklang and out of reach of the sliding defender Wanpynshngain Nongsteng.
Mylliem had no answer to any of this, though a couple of substitutes – Janhame Marngar and Kolis Lyngdoh – reinvigorated the team but only briefly and without actual success. This was the first match of the season in which Mylliem went without scoring.
The SPL will now take a little break as the SSA Stadium will be given over to the SSA’s Second Division 2025 quarterfinals, which start tomorrow, and the inaugural Meghalaya State Women’s League, which will begin on Saturday. The SPL will return on 24 September when Malki face Nongrim Hills at 3:30pm. That match had to be carried over after play was abandoned due to heavy rain on the scheduled day on 12 September.
