Kerala clinched their seventh title by defeating Bengal in a penalty shootout in the thrilling final at Payyanad Stadium.
Manjeri, First Published May 3, 2022, 9:22 AM IST
Malappuram: Kerala Football Team coach Bino George says that winning the Santosh Trophy 2022 is a festive gift for the fans. “I owe a lot to the audience for the victory,” Bino George told Asianet News. All the matches of the Kerala Tournament were played in front of a packed gallery.
Kerala clinched their seventh title by defeating Bengal in a penalty shootout in the thrilling final at Payyanad Stadium. Kerala fought back after trailing by one goal in extra time. Kerala won the tournament without losing a single game. This is Kerala’s first title on home soil since Kurikesh Mathew’s team became champions in Kochi in 1993. Kerala captain Jijo Joseph was selected as the best player of the tournament.
In the final, Kerala defeated West Bengal 5-4 in a penalty shootout. In the seventh minute of extra time, Bengal took the lead through Dileep Orvan in a goalless draw. With four minutes left in extra time, Safnad Ugran came on as a substitute for Noufal’s cross from the right wing.
In the ensuing penalty shootout, Bengal’s Sajal missed the second kick. When Sajal’s kick went out, all the kicks of Kerala were scored. Sanju, Bibin, captain Jijo Joseph, Jason and Jessin scored for Kerala in the shootout. This is Kerala’s third title as hosts and their first since 2018. Prior to this, Kerala had won the title in Kochi in 1973 and 1993.
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Last Updated May 3, 2022, 9:25 AM IST
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