Robi Hansda scored the sole goal of the match in extra time in the second half at the Gachibowli Stadium.
Heavyweights West Bengal extended their lead in the National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy with a 1-0 victory over Kerala in the final here on Tuesday, winning the championship for the 33rd time.
At Gachibowli Stadium, Robi Hansda scored the game’s lone goal during the second half’s additional time.Aditya Thapa headed the ball into the area, and Robi finished easily from point-blank range to put the ball in the net.
The Bengali player, who finished as the tournament’s top scorer, scored his 12th goal of the competition.
Following a first half that was interspersed with sporadic opportunities, both teams launched a barrage of attacks in the second half.Bengal’s free kick just missed the mark in the 58th minute, and the club was awarded another one just outside the box in the 62nd, but this time it did not go in.
The southern state was disappointed as Kerala’s free effort flew over the crossbar shortly after Bengal broke the impasse.In their run to the championship match, both teams have played well enough to reflect their status in the competition, winning nine of ten games and drawing one each.
Bengal has dominated at this point in the past. However, seven-time champion Kerala has recently outperformed their eastern opponents, defeating Bengal in the final to capture the 2017–18 and 2021–22 crowns.
