AIFF Media Team

HYDERABAD: Kerala continued their winning run as they beat Delhi 3-0, while Meghalaya secured themselves a spot in the 78th Senior Men’s National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 quarter-finals after they beat Goa 1-0, at the Deccan Arena, on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Closer to the bottom of Group B, Tamil Nadu and Odisha played out a 1-1 draw.

After today’s victory the seven-time champions further extend their lead atop Group B; they are now on 12 points from four matches, five ahead of second-placed Meghalaya. Delhi, who remain on six points but have slipped down to third, will now need at least a draw from their last match against Goa on December 24, to secure their quarter-final spot.

Kerala keep winning

Delhi 0
lost to
Kerala 3 (Naseeb Rahman 16’, Joseph Justin 32’, Shijin T 40’)

Kerala earned their fourth win on the trot in the final rounds of the 2024-25 Santosh Trophy, defeating Delhi 3-0. All three goals came in the first half.

Midfielder Nijo Gilbert played an instrumental role in Kerala’s performance against Delhi, providing the assists for all the three goals. The 25-year-old found Naseeb Rahman (16’) early on with a through pass, as the latter turned his marker inside, then out, before sending a grounded shot at the near post.

Joseph Justin (32’) doubled the lead after managing to get a free header on a Nijo corner. The third goal was an old school counter-attack, one that started from Kerala’s own penalty box, as goalkeeper Hajmal S lofted one long to set Nijo through on the right. The playmaker darted up the right and sent a low and hard cross that was poked in by Shijin T (40’), minutes before the half-time break. Delhi regained their composure later in the second half, and made a few efforts to reduce the deficit, but Kerala thwarted their advances with relative comfort to take home their third consecutive clean sheet.

Meghalaya pip Goa

Meghalaya 1 (Damanbhalang Chyne 89’ p)
defeated
Goa

Meghalaya won a hard-fought battle against Goa, winning it 1-0 in the end, by dint of a late penalty. The score remained goalless at half-time.

In a match that saw both sides squander a host of chances, it was Damanbhalang Chyne (89’), who finally made the difference as he converted a penalty to take Meghalaya into the quarter-finals.

Goa, who went into the match on the back of two losses and just a solitary win, needed points against Meghalaya to help them in their fight to make the last eight. After a solid first half, the side from the west coast put five defenders to protect their goal. Meghalaya, however, kept attacking in waves.

Khraw Kupar Jana looked lively down the right and had an opportunity from a slight angle to put it past Goa goalkeeper Sanij Budge, but sent his effort over. Donald Diengdoh had a couple of close opportunities, but one came off the upright, while the other was off target.

Meghalaya were getting desperate as the clock wore down, but they soon found their lifeline when substitute Deibormane Tongper’s shirt was tugged inside the Goa box; the referee immediately pointed to the spot, Chyne closing off the three points for Meghalaya.

Odisha rally to hold Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu 1 (Alexander Romaria Jesuraj 68’ p)
drew
Odisha 1 (Rahul Mukhi 75’)

Tamil Nadu’s search for their first win in the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 final rounds continued after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Odisha. The teams were locked in a goalless battle till the break.

Alexander Romario Jesuraj (68’) put Tamil Nadu hopes in of victory after he converted a penalty top put his side ahead.

Their lead was only to last seven minutes, however, as Rahul Mukhi (75’) darted on to an aerial through ball behind the defence, before poking it past the keeper to put Odisha level. The latter remain fourth in Group B with four points from as many games so far. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, stay rock bottom with two points from the same number of matches.

Monday, December 23, 2024 fixtures:

0900 – Jammu & Kashmir vs Rajasthan
1430 – Manipur vs Telangana
1930 – Services vs Bengal