Santosh Trophy: Kerala beats Jammu and Kashmir in quarters to confirm semifinal against Manipur

Santosh Trophy: Kerala beats Jammu and Kashmir in quarters to confirm semifinal against Manipur

Naseeb Rahman scored the match-winner for Kerala as it recorded a 1-0 win against Jammu & Kashmir in the quarterfinal of the 78th Santosh Trophy National Football Championship at Deccan Arena here on Friday.

Rahman found the target in the 73rd minute and is now the joint second-highest scorer of the tournament (alongside Tamil Nadu’s K. Lijo) with seven goals to his name.

This is Kerala’s 31st entry into the semifinal and will take on Manipur on December 29.

With a potent attack, Kerala’s team dynamics has allowed it to score an impressive total of 29 goals while its defence too stood firm, conceding only four goals so far.

Facing such a high-performing team, J&K, under the tactical guidance of former Indian defender and coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo prepared a robust defensive strategy to counter Kerala’s aggressive play. It effectively closed down spaces in the midfield, crucial for disrupting Kerala’s build-up play, and tightly marked the wingers to prevent them from making impactful runs down the flanks.

The first half saw Kerala’s players visibly frustrated as they struggled to penetrate the solid defensive setup of Jammu and Kashmir. And even when they did, Jammu and Kashmir’s goalkeeper Majid Ahmad was alert and positioned perfectly to make timely saves.

J&K showed flashes of threat. In the 27th minute, Aakif Javaid dashed down the right flank and delivered a cross to Talib Nazir inside the penalty box. Despite having ample time and space, Nazir’s shot sailed over the crossbar as the first half ended goalless.

In the second half, Kerala intensified the efforts and piled more pressure on the Jammu and Kashmir defence. The persistence paid off in the 73rd minute when a defensive mistake by Jammu and Kashmir provided them with a golden opportunity.

Joseph Justin delivered a cross that the defenders failed to clear effectively, allowing Rahman, who had already netted six goals in the tournament, to take control with his chest. Rahman showcased his composure and striking ability by firing a decisive volley past the goalkeeper, putting Kerala ahead.

J&K rallied to mount a comeback and came close to scoring the equaliser in the 88th minute. A cross from the right was fisted away by Kerala goalkeeper Hajmal S. However, the ball landed at the feet of Shahmeer Tariq, who quickly took a shot, but his effort agonisingly soared over the crossbar.