Shillong, May 9: The group stage of the 5th Meghalaya State League (MSL 5) came to an end today with Balmanduri FC defeating Janepih YSCA 1-0 in their final Group G match at Williamnagar.
Jurisbirth Marak netted the decisive goal in the 24th minute to hand Balmanduri a winning finish to their campaign. While Janepih had already secured top spot in the group before the match and opted to rest several key players, Balmanduri were unable to move up from fourth place despite the victory.
With the completion of all 104 group stage matches, focus now shifts to the pre-quarterfinals, where the top 16 teams from the 33 participating sides will compete in knockout fixtures. The winners will advance to the Round of 8, which will then be divided into two groups of four teams for another round robin phase.
This season’s Meghalaya State League has been the biggest edition so far, aimed at providing players with greater match exposure and improving the overall standard of competition. The expanded format also ensures compliance with All India Football Federation (AIFF) requirements by increasing the number of matches for each team.
The Meghalaya Football Association, with support from the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, has also introduced greater professionalism in the conduct of the tournament through the implementation of the AIFF’s Competition Management System and Centralised Registration System.
All Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Monday. Six venues will host matches at 2pm, while Shillong’s SSA Stadium will stage a double-header at 1pm and 5:30pm.
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