Kerala has lifted their sixth Santosh Trophy Football title. On Sunday, in a thrilling final at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, Kerala held their nerves to beat defending champions and 32-time winners Bengal via penalty shootout. Kerala ended a 14-year title drought as they deservedly clinched their sixth Santosh Trophy by edging out 10-man Bengal via tie-breaker in the final at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday. In a thrilling encounter that Kerala should have won in regulation time, Satheevan Balan’s side lost the lead twice before finally pipping the defending champions 4-2 in the shootout after the teams were locked 1-1 in regulation time and 2-2 in extra time.
Kerala, who won all their matches and beat Bengal twice, forged ahead in the 19th minute through Jithin MS only for Jiten Murmu to level scores in the 68th minute. The hosts had substitute Rajon Barman redcarded in the 112th minute for having going in with his studs up at goalkeeper Midhun V while trying to score off a through pass. Kerala thought they had clinched it five minutes later when Vibin Thomas nodded the ball home. However, Tirthankar Sarkar struck off a free-kick in the dying minutes to take the game to a penalty shootout. Bengal had a nightmarish start in the tie-break as custodian Midhun easily parried Ankit Mukherjee and Nabi Hussain Khan’s kicks, while Rahul V Raj and Jithin Gopalan converted Kerala’s first two.