Bengal will lock horns with Kerala in the Santosh Trophy final on Monday. (AIFF)With players from top-tier clubs not playing, Santosh Trophy national football championship has long lost its sheen and been reduced to a talent-scouting exercise. But try telling that to the 25,000 people who will turn up at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri on Monday night for the final of the 75th edition of the grand-old tournament. In Malappuram, it’s the football that matters, not its stars, it has been proven yet again.
Aptly, the final will feature teams from two states with rich pedigree and a storied rivalry. Hosts Kerala, eyeing their seventh title, will look to achieve an encore of their group-stage win (2-0) against 32-time champions West Bengal, by far the most successful team in the Santosh Trophy.
Bengal, who are playing their 46th final, meanwhile, will try to avenge the defeat they suffered at the hands of Kerala in the title clash in 2018 on their home turf in Kolkata. In the two other meetings between the sides in finals, in 1989 and 1994, Bengal emerged winners.
On the eve of the final, Kerala coach Bino Geroge, however, tried to downplay the psychological advantage his team may have over Bengal. “We won’t say we are more confident because we had beaten Bengal last time. The Bengal players are unpredictable and they have experience of playing in big tournaments. We don’t have players with that much experience… Bengal have come back stronger after their loss. We are approaching this game in all seriousness. It’s a do-or-die match for us,” said George.
Best of Express Premium
Bengal coach Ranjan Bhattacharya said that it will be a competitive game. “The match between Kerala and West Bengal will be exciting, and I hope fans will tune in… Tomorrow’s game will be a competitive contest, and the team that can convert their opportunities will take the Santosh Trophy home,” he said.
Both Kerala and Bengal won their semifinals convincingly. Kerala beat Karnataka 7-3 in a goalfest while Bengal eased past Manipur 3-0. After their loss against Kerala in the second game, Bengal regrouped and won three games on the trot to reach their 46th final. Apart from their 2-2 draw against Meghalaya, Kerala won all their games.
Jesin TK, the star act
With nine goals (including the preliminary round), 22-year-old striker Jesin TK has been the star of the tournament for the hosts. In the semifinal, he scored five goals after coming on as a substitute and set a record. Captain Jijo George, who had scored a hat-trick against Rajasthan, and his midfield partner Arjun Jayaraj, have also been instrumental in the team’s success.
Coach George indicated that there are injury concerns to some of the key players of his team. “Arjun Jayaraj, Jesin TK, Muhammed Safnad, Ajay Alex all have some injury issue or the other. But we are not complaining or saying this as an excuse. Playing in front of Kerala fans and winning is a dream for our players. And we will give it our 100 per cent,” said George.
For Bengal, Mohammed Fardin Ali Molla, who has scored six goals so far in this edition will be the lethal force upfront. At the goal, Priyant Singh has made some crucial saves for the team and his performance will be vital for Bengal against a Kerala team that promises to attack from the beginning. Kerala’s goalkeeper will be Midhun V, their hero in the 2018 penalty shootout.
Bengal captain Monotosh Chakladar said that his team would not be overawed by the crowd support for Kerala. “They (Bengal players) are not feeling any strain ahead of the final… If anything, the Kerala team should be under pressure…We were defeated by Kerala at the start of the campaign, so this game will be treated as a revenge game,” he said.
Live streaming available on the Facebook page Indian Football Team (AIFF) from 8 pm.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
