SHILLONG, Nov 6: Fresh off their third Shillong Premier League (SPL) title, Langsning FC are set to take on Rangdajied United in the first semifinal of the newly introduced SSA Super Cup on Friday at the SSA Stadium, First Ground, Polo. The match will kick off at 5 PM.
The inaugural SSA Super Cup, organised by the Shillong Sports Association, brings an added layer of competition to local football, featuring the Top 6 teams from the SPL 2025 in a high-stakes knockout format.
As SPL champions and runners-up respectively, Langsning and Shillong Lajong earned direct berths in the semifinals. Rangdajied and Mawlai, on the other hand, had to secure their spots through playoff victories. Rangdajied cruised past Nangkiew Irat with a 3-0 win on October 31, while Mawlai edged Sawmer 5-4 on penalties in a dramatic contest that ended 3-3 after extra time.
Langsning had earlier outclassed Rangdajied 4-0 when the two sides met in the league on August 23. Rangdajied’s SPL journey began slowly, with only one win from their first six matches, but the team recovered well to finish fifth with a late-season surge, including their confident performance in the Super Cup playoff.
Langsning, meanwhile, have not played since October 14, having completed their league fixtures earlier than the rest. They were forced to wait and watch as results involving Lajong and Mawlai unfolded — ultimately in their favour — allowing them to clinch the title with 20 points, just one ahead of both their closest rivals. Despite flying under the radar, Langsning built a strong finish with four consecutive wins and only one loss in their nine matches, making them favourites for Friday’s showdown.
On Saturday, Shillong Lajong and Mawlai SC will lock horns in the second semifinal, also at 5 PM. Lajong remained unbeaten in SPL 2025 but were held back by four draws, which cost them the championship. Their remarkable 4-3 comeback win over Mawlai on October 1 — after trailing 0-3 — remains one of the standout matches of the season.
The defeat exposed vulnerabilities in a Mawlai side that once dominated the local circuit, winning SPL titles in 2022 and 2023 and the Meghalaya State League in 2024. Mawlai stayed in contention this year until a crucial draw with Rangdajied denied them the trophy. Their shaky playoff performance against Sawmer, who pushed them to the brink over 120 minutes, will surely be noted by Lajong’s coaching staff.
With Shillong’s “Big Four” — Langsning, Lajong, Mawlai, and Rangdajied — all advancing to the semifinals, the SSA Super Cup has reached its most exciting phase, promising fans two action-packed matchups as the tournament heats up.
