Meghalaya: Nongkseh clinch 11th CM’s International Gold Cup with 1–0 final win

Meghalaya's Nongkseh Sports Social and Cultural Club sealed the 11th All India Chief Minister’s International Gold Cup Football Tournament title with a narrow but assured 1–0 victory over BSF (Jalandhar) at Jorethang in South Sikkim.

The decisive moment came in the 51st minute when Kynsaibor Lhuid found the net, a goal that proved enough for the Shillong-based side to lift the trophy. Nongkseh controlled large phases of the final, dictating possession and tempo, while goalkeeper Daraphun Talang produced a key save to deny BSF’s only effort on target.

Reacting to the triumph, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma congratulated the team on social media, calling it a “शानदार victory” and praising the side’s “discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship” throughout the competition. He added that the win was “well deserved” and urged the players to “keep up the great work”.

Kynsai of Nongkseh was named Man of the Tournament and received a Tata Tiago, while the champions also pocketed ₹20 lakh in prize money along with the trophy.

Nongkseh’s title run was marked by consistency, as the club went unbeaten, defeating Himalayan Gangtok, Eastern Railway, NEROCA FC and Red Panda FC en route to the final. Their performances have since drawn wider attention, with Indian Super League side NorthEast United FC inviting Nongkseh for a pre-season friendly on February 8 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.

The win adds another milestone for the Meghalaya outfit, underlining its growing presence on the national football stage.