Kerala Crush Arunachal’s Quarterfinal Hopes in Santosh Trophy; Services Dominate Assam

Kerala ends Arunachal Pradesh’s Santosh Trophy hopes

Itanagar, Feb 28 (IANS) Kerala dealt a blow to Arunachal Pradesh’s chances of advancing in the Santosh Trophy 2023-24, defeating them 2-0 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium. Muhammed Ashiq S and Arjun V scored to secure the win for Kerala and boost their knockout stage aspirations.

With seven points from four matches, Kerala, the 2021-22 Santosh Trophy champions, put themselves in a strong position to advance. On the other hand, Arunachal Pradesh only has one point from four matches, diminishing their hopes of making it to the top four in Group A.

Despite a strong start from Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala managed to control the game and create scoring opportunities. Ashiq S opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a header, and Arjun V doubled the lead in the 52nd minute with a close-range finish.

Arunachal Pradesh tried to mount a comeback but lacked penetration in the final third. With their last match against Services potentially deciding their fate, they will need a strong performance to stay in contention.

In another Group A match, Services defeated Assam 2-0, with Thingnam Bidhyasagar Singh and P Christopher Kamei finding the back of the net. Services now have nine points from four games, while Assam will face a tough challenge against Goa on March 1 to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.

The Santosh Trophy action continues with exciting games ahead as teams battle for a spot in the knockout stages. Stay tuned for more updates from the tournament.