Shillong, Nov 11: Two riveting Group B matches in the SSA Champions Cup 2026 saw Sei La Sap FCC and Mawkhar SC pull off morale-boosting victories that should give plenty of impetus to their campaign to reach the semifinals.
Sei La Sap (runners-up in the Fourth Division this year) had to come from a goal down to defeat Sohryngkham (Second Division runners-up) 4-2 in the early kick-off. Then, Mawkhar SC (First Division champions) held off Sanmer SC (Third Division champions) 2-1 under the floodlights.
Like everywhere else in Shillong, Polo Ground was hit hard by a hailstorm and that delayed the start of the first match by half an hour. Sohryngkham were not perturbed by that, however, and came out of the blocks in superb fashion, netting early through Damanglangki Makdoh (2’).
The equaliser only came in the early part of the second half when Kennyson Khyriem (49′) sidled his way into the box and was deep on the right when he pulled the trigger and fired in his shot.
Sei La Sap, playing in their first match, then took the lead when a poor clearance gifted the ball to Freestar Kharbangar. He ran with the ball into the box and there was no stopping him from there as he neatly converted the chance in the 75th minute. That lead, however, was short-lived as Bankynshew Warjri (79’) managed to lob the Sei La Sap goalkeeper Aiboklang Jyrwa from the right.
There were still two more goals left in the contest and they both fell for Sei La Sap – Eddiesius Kharkongor (85’) first scored via a cheeky dink to the left of Sohryngkham custodian Klibarson Lawai before Melbertson Kharbangar (90’+6) signed off with his team’s fourth goal; he got two chances to score with his first shot denied by the upright but the rebound went straight back to him and he did not miss a second time.
It was a disappointing result for Sohryngkham, who had started the Champions Cup with a victory over Mawkhar last week.
Mawkhar were in action in the second match of the day and put that opening loss behind them to take 3 points against Sanmer. Vobisterfield Marngar (35’) and Mackiven Shyrkon (69’) scored for Mawkhar before Sanmer kept their nose in the game thanks to Isharwer Mukhim (71’).
The opening goal required some luck as, while Mawkhar were in play in the opposition area, Vobister stuck out his leg and the ball came off his back heel and went into the net. Sanmer were close in the first half to getting the equaliser, no more so than in a terrific melee in front of goal, though Mawkhar managed to hold on to their slim lead.
Mackiven then doubled the lead in the second half when, thanks to a poor clearance, he had an open goal in front of him even though he was at some distance. He nevertheless trusted himself and was on target to give his side a two-goal lead.
That cushion, however, got a little thinner less than two minutes later when Sanmer won a throw-in. Taken long, it was flicked on to Isharwer on the left side and he scored from point blank range.
Sanmer did everything they could to try and produce a second goal but they were unable to and thus slipped to a second consecutive defeat after they went down to Shillong Lajong FC 1-0 last week.
The next matches in the Champions Cup will take place on Saturday. At 11am Lajong will take on Sei La Sap in Group B followed by Mawlai SC facing Mawpdang SC at 2:30pm in Group A.
