The fourth season of the Mokokchung Football League (MFL) for players aged 35 years and above officially kicked off at the Imkongmeren Sports Complex on Saturday, featuring a total of six participating teams.
Dr. Lanu Walling, while providing an overview of the MFL, emphasized its exclusive focus on players over the age of 35. He highlighted that the primary objectives of the league are fostering friendship, promoting fellowship, and encouraging fitness among its participants. Dr. Walling noted that individuals often find themselves on established life paths by the age of 35, with busy schedules that leave little room for sports and fitness activities. Consequently, maintaining one’s fitness becomes a challenge, and overall health can suffer. He emphasized that the MFL serves as a platform to support good health and enjoyable experiences for its participants.
The league is scheduled to span ten match days, with each match day featuring a total of three games. The six teams participating in the league are Revenant FC, New Ecclesia, Senso FC, Wasang FC, Terokroker FC, and Trebuchet FC. Notably, Revenant FC holds the title of defending champions, having emerged victorious in all three previous seasons.
N Chuba Phom, who served as both a player in the league and the match patron for the opening day, commended the organizers for their efforts in establishing this platform. He recalled how Mokokchung used to be teeming with football talents in the past, attracting clubs from other regions of the state in search of promising players. However, Phom expressed concern over the declining number of players in recent times, which he considered a matter of serious contemplation.
Phom also appreciated the league’s positive impact on health consciousness among participants, noting that it has discouraged the use of intoxicants. He encouraged players to prioritize building friendships on the field rather than fostering rivalries.
In the inaugural match of the season, Meshenshinba of Terokroker FC achieved the distinction of becoming the first player to score a goal when he found the back of the net 16 minutes into the game, giving a major scare to the Revenant FC’s title defense campaign. It looked like the defending champions were going home without a point from their first outing, but it was veteran Rongsenchiba who once again rose to the occasion for Revenant FC, finding the all-important equalizer in the 51st minute.
In the second match of the day, New Ecclesia FC faced off against Wasang FC, with the latter registering a commanding 3-0 victory. Repa scored a brace in the 36th and 65th minutes for Wasang FC while teammate Chubaangnen also scored his first goal of the season in the 62nd minute.
Last year’s runners-up Trebuchet FC and Senso FC went all out against each other in the third match, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Dibam Domta and Kabi John found the back of the net in the 6th and 15th minutes, respectively, for Senso FC. Meanwhile, Arenlong and Shilutsüngba scored a goal each in the 47th and 57th minutes, respectively, for Trebuchet FC.