Kannur Warriors beat Thrissur Magic, continuing their win streak in Super League Kerala 2026
The first matchwinners of the Super League Kerala 2026 are Kannur Warriors.
On 25th September, 2026, the first match of the 3rd edition of the Super League Kerala (SLK) took place between Kannur Warriors & Thrissur Magic FC.
The match was a repeat of the finals of Super League Kerala 2025, where the Kannur Warriors won 1-0, courtesy of an 18th minute goal scored by Asier Gomes. The 2026 match felt more like a replay of the finals of 2025, because, The Red Mariners managed to beat Thrissur Magic 1-0 due to a 17th minute goal scored by Asier Gomes as well.
The audience saw a match filled with tactical and skillful display by both the teams.
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The Red Mariners remain to be the only team that the Thrissur Magic have not beaten ever in the history of the Super League Kerala. The match marked the first time for both coaches taking on the helms of their respective teams, Andrey Chernyshov for Kannur Warriors & David Caneda for Thrissur Magic
The match was dominated by the defending champions until the 23rd minute of the match, during which Kannur scored a goal because Thrissur defender Henry Plazas while distributing the ball, tried to lob a pass towards the midfield. While the ball was in the air, it was intercepted and deflected, falling down in front of Kannur’s Serbian forward Bogdan Stamenkovic.
The Serb took a couple of touches to get into some space down the wing, he launched a left footed cross towards the final 3rd of the pitch. It was there that Asier converted the cross into a goal from just his first touch.
Once they scored what would be the only goal of the match, the Red Mariners tried to calm down and play defensively for some time, which prompted Thrissur to get a couple of chances which were eventually not converted. The problem which Thrissur faced in the first half, was that they were unable to control the tempo of the game.
After Kannur’s goal, their opponents were able to control the tempo of the game for a short period, but the hydration break completely stopped their momentum. After the hydration break, the match remained in the favor of Kannur as they kept pressurizing Thrissur into making mistakes in the midfield, forcing them to make most of their chances by playing long balls and skipping over the entire midfield.
Despite a mediocre first half, David Caneda did not make any half-time substitutions and instead chose to change the way Thrissur approached the game.
Also Read: Super League Kerala 2026: Updated group standings after Kannur Warriors FC vs Thrissur Magic FC
At the start of the second half, Thrissur started to play with a higher intensity and a cadence that suited them and not their opponents. Playing in a controlled way uplifted their spirits, which helped them through many chances, but eventually, the lack of experience between the forwards of the team inevitably did not allow them to score a goal.
During the second half, Kannur started to play a lot more defensively, which led Varo Alvarez to show his defensive capabilities. The Spaniard made a lot of challenges to the pacey wingers of Thrissur Magic. It was ultimately him and his teammates that helped Kannur to win the game.
A tribute to the fallen
In the 44th minute of the match, the fans at the Jawahar Municipal Stadium in Kannur, raised their phones and turned on their flash lights in order to pay tribute to Calicut FC’s Rijohn Jose, who passed away from injuries sustained through a motorcycle accident on 20th September 2026.
When & where to watch the upcoming matches
The next match in the Super League Kerala (SLK) 2026, is between Calicut FC & Trivandrum Komabans. The match will be played on 26th September at the EMS Coporation Stadium in Kozhikode, with it being live streamed on Zee5 and linear coverage on Unite 8 Sports.
The next match for the Kannur Warriors will be on 31st October at the Jawar Municipal Stadium in Kannur, where they will face off against the Trivandrum Kombans. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 and will be streamed live on Zee5, with linear coverage broadcasted on Unite 8 Sports.
The next match for Thrissur Magic will be on 30th October at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, where they will lock horns against Forca Kochi FC. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 and will also be streamed live on Zee5, with linear coverage broadcasted on Unite 8 Sports.
Who scored in the first game of the The Super League Kerala (SLK) 2026, between Kannur Warriors & Thirssur Magic?
The only goal scorer from the first match of the Super League Kerala (SLK) 2026, between Kannur Warriors & Thirssur Magic was, Asier Gomes of Kannur Warriors.
When is the next match of the SLK 2026?
The next match in the Super League Kerala (SLK) 2026, is between Calicut FC & Trivandrum Komabans. The match will be played on 26th September at the EMS Coporation Stadium in Kozhikode, with it being live streamed on Zee5 and linear coverage on Unite 8 Sports.
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