West Bengal claimed the title for an unprecedented 33rd time.© X/@IndianFootball
West Bengal extended their supremacy in the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship with a 1-0 victory over Kerala in the summit showdown in Hyderabad on Tuesday, claiming the title for an unprecedented 33rd time. Robi Hansda scored the only goal of the game in second-half added time at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium. Robi found the back of the net with an easy shot from point-blank range after Aditya Thapa headed the ball into the box. Both teams have shown form befitting their stature in the tournament, winning nine of their 10 matches, while drawing one each during their run to the title clash.
Historically, Bengal has dominated at this stage. However, in recent times, seven-time winners Kerala have had the upper hand over their eastern rivals, winning the 2017-18 and 2021-22 titles by defeating Bengal in the final.
Bengal thus took revenge with its solitary victory on Tuesday.
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