Super League Kerala 2025 Semi-Final 1: Thrissur Magic FC vs Malappuram FC Preview, team news, lineups & prediction

Thrissur and Malappuram are making their debut appearance in the Super League Kerala playoffs.

The Super League Kerala 2025 is nearing its ultimate showdown as the consistent Thrissur Magic FC lock horns against the strong Malappuram FC side for the first semi-final. The match will be played at the Corporation Stadium, Thrissur.

The knockout encounter will take place on December 7 at 7:30 PM IST. Both these teams first met this season for their season opener at the Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri, where, after a close encounter, Malappuram FC clinched the victory, courtesy of their Fijian striker Roy Krishna.

Who'll secure their ticket to the Grand Finale? 👊#SuperLeagueKerala #SLK #SuperCrazy pic.twitter.com/zJS7MrAYBM

— Super League Kerala (@slk_kerala) December 6, 2025

In their previous encounter, which also marked the first game played at the Corporation Stadium in the history of Super League Kerala, Thrissur defeated Malappuram 2-1, bringing an end to their five-match unbeaten streak.

When the Magicians and the Malabar Giants go head-to-head in the playoffs, eyeing their first-ever Super League Kerala final appearance, the stakes will be high, and so will be the excitement for the fans.

The Stakes

Thrissur Magic FC

Thrissur Magic FC have had a spectacular run in the Super League Kerala so far. With five wins and two draws in their ten matches, the Magicians ended their group stage fixtures in the second position with 17 points.

With this debut qualification, they have brushed away their disappointment of finishing at the bottom of the table in the previous edition. Despite starting the season with a loss, Thrissur got their breakthrough win against Calicut FC in the second round. Since then, there was no looking back for the team.

However, in the latter part of the season, Thrissur slackened a bit as two of their three defeats came in the last few matches. In their last game of the group stage, they had to succumb to the Kannur Warriors with a two-goal deficit, which could affect the team’s morale ahead of the match.

Hence, Thrissur’s stakes are simple ahead of the crucial semi-final match. Play out with intent and grab the win from Malappuram to become the first team to qualify for the finals. From there, build up on the momentum and potentially clinch their first-ever silverware.

However, standing in front of them are Malappuram FC, who are in red-hot form, especially after their 4-3 win in the final round.

Malappuram FC

Malappuram FC have had their share of ups and downs in the Super League Kerala 2025. After a strong start to the season, everyone expected Malappuram FC to qualify for the playoffs. However, things didn’t go as planned for Malappuram.

Despite scoring 18 goals in their ten matches, Malappuram still struggled to make it into the final four, as they struggled defensively and conceded many unwanted goals, which led to them dropping crucial points.

This topsy-turvy performance led to them mutually parting ways with their manager, Miguel Corral, midway through the season. However, Malappuram rose to the ranks whenever it mattered the most. After Round 9, Malappuram were placed 5th in the table and needed a positive result to prevent elimination.

After trailing by two goals in the early minutes, Malappuram whacked in four goals to earn a dominating 4-2 victory to seal the qualifications in style.

With an impressive climax to the group stage, Malappuram will be more confident than ever and will look to showcase their attacking prowess and renewed defensive strength to secure their first win in Thrissur and book a place in the Super League Kerala final.

Team news

John Kennedy, who scored a hat-trick in their final match, and Ishan Pandita, who netted the final goal of the game, suffered a hamstring injury during the second half. The attacking duo’s availability for the semi-finals remains a question mark.

As far as Thrissur Magic FC are concerned, they do not have any major injury concerns or suspensions ahead of the Super League Kerala semi-final match.

Head-to-head record

• Matches Played – 4
• Malappuram FC Won – 2
• Thrissur Magic FC Won – 1
• Draw – 1
• Latest Match – Thrissur Magic FC 2-1 Malappuram FC | November 16, 2025 – Corporation Stadium, Thrissur

Player to watch out for

Thrissur Magic FC – Bibin Ajayan

The 27-year-old former Gokulam Kerala FC defender is the player to watch out for in the Super League Kerala semi-final 1 between Thrissur Magic FC and Malappuram FC.

The defender has been in great form in the tournament so far, as he has formed a strong fortress with his fellow defenders, Tejas Krishna, Alan, and Mailson Alves, who have conceded seven goals so far in the league, the lowest for any team in the Super League Kerala 2025.

Along with these defensive duties, Bibin Ajayan ventures deep into the attacking third and creates chances for his team offensively. In the last match against Malappuram, Bibin was excellent as the defender took advantage of the wings to restrict the Malappuram FC players.

Bibin went on to provide multiple teasing deliveries into the opponent’s box and two precisely tailored crosses into the 18-yard box, which were seamlessly connected by Ivan Markovic and Faiaz, helping Thrissur earn a 2-1 victory over Malappuram.

The win broke Malappuram’s unbeaten record in the tournament, and was also the Magicians’ first win on home soil. Bibin’s presence will play a pivotal role for Thrissur Magic FC in breaking the strong attacking unit of Malappuram FC and creating some quick attacking initiatives in the semi-final.

Malappuram FC – Roy Krishna

Roy Krishna, the Fijian international forward, was probably one of the most talked-about signings of the Super League Kerala. The Fijian forward, a prolific goalscorer in the ISL, is one of the most recognisable faces in the league and was expected to become a big player for the club.

Returning to football after a serious knee injury at Odisha FC, the 39-year-old struggled to display his old clinical reflexes and unmatched leadership.

At the end of Malappuram FC’s group stage fixtures, the player’s performance was rather disappointing as he managed to net only two goals, both of which came from penalties. This also meant that the captain was benched for the last few games of Malappuram FC.

However, despite this inconsistency, Malappuram needs Roy Krishna more than ever. With John Kennedy and Ishan Pandita, the team’s two prolific strikers, potentially ruled out of the season, the offensive responsibilities now lie on the shoulders of Roy Krishna.

If the veteran could yet again display his flair of scoring during crucial encounters, he could potentially turn the tables and take Malappuram FC to their first Super League Kerala final.

Predicted Lineups

Thrissur Magic FC Predicted Lineups (4-4-2)

Kamauldheen (GK); Bibin Ajayan, Tejas Krishna, Mailson Alves, Jiyad; Umashankar, Lenny Rodrigues, Kevin, Naveen; Faiaz, Ivan Markovic.

Malappuram FC Predicted Lineups (4-3-3)

Jaseen (GK); Nithin Madhu, Sanju, Abdul Hakku, Tony; Abhijith PA, Aitor Aldalur, Badr, Faslu Rahman; Elforsy, Roy Krishna.

When and where to watch the Super League Kerala semi-final 1 between Thrissur Magic FC vs Malappuram FC?

The Super League Kerala Semi-Final 1 between Thrissur Magic FC and Malappuram FC will be played on 7th December and will be live broadcast on the Sony Sports Network and the Sports.com website. Fans all across India can watch the Super League Kerala playoff matches from 7:30 pm onwards.

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