Shillong, Jan 24: Meghalaya held the lead three times but had to eventually share points with Punjab after a seesaw 3-3 draw in Group B of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 in Dhakuakhana, Assam, on Saturday.
Owanijuh Pajuh (35′), Babysunday Marngar (69′) and Deibormame Tongper (78′) scored for Meghalaya, with Jagdeep Singh (60′), Himanshu Jangra (71′) and Harmanpreet Singh (81′) finding the mark for former champions Punjab.
After two rounds, Meghalaya are second in the group, tied on 4 points with Kerala. The top four teams will progress to the quarterfinals.
Coach Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh made just one change from the starting line-up from the 1-0 against Odisha two days ago, bringing on Owanijuh in place of Fairming Suting.
Owanijuh put Meghalaya in front in the first half with a thunderous one touch strike from inside the box following a throw-in that was helped on its way by Mebankhraw Wahlang to the forward.
Meghalaya held the lead until the hour mark when Jagdeep was given too much space in attack. Rajat Paul Lyngdoh appeared to get his gloves behind the ball but it took an awkward bounce right in front of him and that was how the shot got past the goalkeeper.
The high-octane match still had another four goals left in it, and Babysunday was to provide the first of these. Deibormame sent in a perfect cross from the right flank, and an unmarked Babysunday, who scored in the win against Odisha, leapt up and connected well, heading the ball into the pitch and across the goal line to make it 2-1 in favour of Meghalaya.
Punjab, one of four teams in Group B who have won the Santosh Trophy before, kept the pressure on, however, and Himanshu scored two minutes later following a corner to level the score again.
The third goal was a beauty from Deibormame, this time with Babysunday flicking the ball onto his teammate. Running up the centre, Deibor had space and took a left-footer from just outside the penalty arc, aiming it perfectly past the Punjab goalkeeper Karandeep Singh’s right.
There was to be no victory for Meghalaya, however, in this rollercoaster of a match, with Harmanpreet heading home a cross to make it 3-3.
Although disappointing not to get the win, taking a point against Punjab keeps Meghalaya well in the hunt for a place in the knockout rounds.
Meghalaya’s next match has been pushed back by a day. They will now face Services on January 27 in Silapathar at 2 pm. Services are currently fourth in the table with 2 points from two games.
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