Shillong, Nov 4: Mawpat SC refused to bow down. Trailing to a first-half goal, the Second Division champions roared back in the second half to beat First Division runners-up Nongkrem 2-1 in a Group A thriller of the SSA Champions Cup at SSA Stadium on Wednesday.
Nongkrem struck first against the run of expectations. Sawadame Tang pounced in close quarters in the 21st minute after relentless pressure on the Mawpat box, and the higher-division side looked in control. They even came within inches of doubling the lead when Donboklang Kharjana rattled the crossbar in stoppage time.
But Mawpat had other plans. Barely 30 seconds after the restart, Thompson Lyngdoh unleashed a fierce shot from a tight angle on the right and buried it. The SSA Stadium erupted, and Mawpat never looked back.
The winner arrived in the 68th minute. Sparkle Khongshei picked up the ball inside the Nongkrem half, raced clear while the defenders waited for a whistle that never came, and coolly rolled it past Jovialstar Lyngkhoi into an empty net.
Mawpat could have made it 4-1 late on, but Donboklang Lyngdoh fired a free-kick wide and then saw his penalty brilliantly punched away by Jovialstar, who dived full stretch to his right.
Despite being the lower-tier side, Mawpat, strengthened by five loan signings allowed only to Second, Third and Fourth Division teams in the Champions Cup, proved they are serious title contenders.
Group B kicks off on November 7 with a blockbuster double-header. Shillong Lajong FC take on Sanmer SC at 12:30 pm, before Mawkhar SC face Sohryngkham at 3:45 pm.
