Shillong, Dec 21: Meghalaya received a huge lifeline in the Senior Men’s National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 after Arunachal Pradesh pipped Sikkim 1-0 in the second Group E match of the preliminary round at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here this evening.
Rinchin Dorjee Karma scored the only goal of the contest in the 57th minute for Arunachal. A draw or a win for Sikkim would have knocked the hosts out of the running for a place in the final round. Meghalaya had lost to Sikkim on Friday 2-1. As it stands now, Arunachal and Sikkim both have 3 points each and Meghalaya need to beat Arunachal when the two sides meet on Tuesday. That match will kick off at 4pm.
Victory for Meghalaya will put all three sides on 3 points each and goal difference would then come into play. A simple 1-0 victory alone will not be enough, however – Meghalaya will have to score at least two goals to reach the top of Group E. Arunachal, meanwhile, will just need a draw to progress.
Coming back to today’s game, which was attended by All India Football Federation Treasurer Kipa Ajay and Meghalaya Football Association President Hamletson Dohling, the first half ended deadlocked but not for want of trying, especially by the players of Sikkim.
Surag Chettri was especially active in the last 10 minutes – he struck a corner wide and then a few minutes later demonstrated beautiful footwork to dribble past several Arunachal players before shooting into the legs of a defender.
Arunachal’s best chances came from a free-kick that tested Sikkim goalkeeper Abhijeet Subba and then a counterattack where the goalie was able to get his body behind a shot from Arunachal’s Midul Doley.
Crossing over, Vivek Gurung went just over the crossbar in the 55th minute but his team mate Rinchin found the mark by striking a lovely volley from a cross to give Arunachal the lead.
Sikkim had already fought from a goal down to beat Meghalaya and threw everything they could into finding an equaliser. John T Lepcha, a substitute, came close twice and Arunachal’s keeper Jagom Loyi later pulled off a stunning reaction save to maintain the lead for his team – which also had the effect of preserving Meghalaya’s hopes.
It was a game of razor thin margins – indeed both matches have proven to be so and Meghalaya will need the backing of the local fans at the ground as they look to overcome the hiccup of their first outing and beat Arunachal come Tuesday.
