Shillong, June 9: In what is going to be an enthralling semi-final of the Meghalaya State League 2023 (MSL 2023), Khliehmawlieh and Mawlai will lock horns in Tura on Saturday afternoon. The match in important not just for the teams but also for the venue.

Group D matches of MSL 2023 have been played in Tura but at the Chandmari Ground. But Saturday’s match will be played at the renovated and upgraded iconic PA Sangma Stadium in Tura. Tura MP, Agatha K Sangma, will be present at the stadium to witness the game as the chief guest. The second semifinal between Khliehmawlieh and Mawlai will kick-off at 3:30pm.

Saturday’s match will be the first major event at the stadium after its upgradation. The upgraded Football Stadium at the PA Sangma Stadium was inaugurated on December 16, 2022.

A stadium is of great historical significance. The stadium was originally constructed in 2006 by the Late P.A. Sangma and named the M.P. Stadium. The ground served as a multi-purpose stadium that saw football, athletics, and many other sports conducted. The stadium has hosted the Tura Football League and the Subroto Cup since its creation. It has also been the epicentre of significant gatherings in the state that are not sport related, especially during Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations.

A technological marvel, the football stadium is India’s largest pre-engineered composite football stadium with a capacity of 9500. The upgradation of this stadium was funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the State Government.