Meghalaya defeat Rajasthan and Kerala trounce Bengal in Santosh Trophy

Rajasthan was knocked out by Meghalaya in a high-scoring match

The 75th NFC Santosh Trophy encounter between Rajasthan and Meghalaya threw up a humdinger of a contest at Kottapadi Stadium in Malappuram on Monday. As the lead exchanged hands multiple times over the 90 minutes, Meghalaya eventually ran out 3 – 2 winners against Rajasthan.

Figo Syndai scored a double, while captain Hardy Cliff Nongbri scored the decider from the penalty spot. Youraj Singh and Imran Khan registered on the score sheet for Rajasthan.

In the 2nd minute itself Youraj Singh gave Rajasthan an early lead. Youraj was stationed at the near post to provide a headed flick-on to a long throw-in from the near touchline.

The early lead gave the Rajasthan side a boost of confidence which they carried into the remainder of the first half. However, despite the early setback, Meghalaya continued to plug away at their opponents in search of a way back into the contest.

As Meghalaya pumped numbers forward in attack, it opened up space for Rajasthan to exploit on the counter-attack.

Parity was restored in the 25th minute as Figo Syndai drew Meghalaya level with a left-footed shot from an acute angle from outside the box. Rajasthan goalkeeper Gajraj Singh would have been disappointed to be beaten at his near post from long range.

Ten minutes later, Rajasthan received the opportunity to get their lead back as Goutam Bissa played Youraj Singh through on goal, but Youraj failed to control the ball inside the box at the crucial moment. Meghalaya goalkeeper Frolicson Dkhar came out quickly to steal the ball from Youraj's feet to deny him and made a comfortable save.

The game was turned on its head in the 39th minute as Figo Syndai secured his brace and Meghalaya scored their second goal of the game. Syndai was played through on goal with a delicately weighted through ball behind the Rajasthan backline, and he made no mistake in front of goal as Meghalaya carried the lead into half-time.

As Rajasthan United stepped up their efforts in search of an equaliser on the other side of the break, Imran Khan forced the issue in the 56th minute. After a wickedly swerving long range effort was parried away by Dkhar, Imran Khan pounced to bury home the rebound and level the contest once again.

There was enthralling action once again in the 63rd minute as the referee awarded a penalty kick to Meghalaya after substitute Stephanson Pale was brought down inside the box by a tackle from defender Ankit Sharma. Meghalaya skipper Hardy Cliff Nongbri stepped up to take the spot-kick and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner after sending Gajraj Singh the wrong way.

As the contest swayed back and forth in favour of either side in the remaining half an hour spell, Meghalaya held on to see out the contest and secure their first win of the Hero 75th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, while Rajasthan slumped to their second straight defeat.

Late goals help Kerala beat Bengal

Two late goals from PN Noufal and TK Jesin gave Kerala their second consecutive victory in the Hero 75th NFC for Santosh Trophy 2021-22. The hosts beat West Bengal 2-0 in Group A.

Unawed by the packed crowd that had descended on the Payyanad Stadium for the game, it was West Bengal who started off on the front foot, their quickness on the ball putting Kerala's defence in constant trouble. In the third minute they almost had their reward, when Basu Deb Mandi was played through into the box via a smart ball from midfield. The midfielder collected the pass and shot at goal, forcing V Midhun into a smart low save to his right. To the great relief of the crowd though, the flag had already been raised for offside.

The early attacks were a fair warning for Kerala, who slowly warmed to their task, controlling more of the ball, and in what is becoming their trademark, switching flanks with ease, while constantly shifting shape. Despite all their flair though West Bengal held firm denying their attackers any space in the final third to thread through a pass. In the 25th minute, Kerala had their first shot on target, M Viknesh collecting the ball 30 yards from goal and letting fly, albeit into the safe hands of Priyant Kumar Singh.

Priyant was called into action again soon enough. In the 26th minute, Arjun Jayaraj and Nijo GIlbert played a brilliant one-two that allowed the latter to run into the box and try and cut the ball back to the swarm of Kerala attackers streaming in. Priyant was quick to cut the cross off though. Twelve minutes later, Kerala won a freekick near the left touchline and Jayaraj curled a teasing ball in. The slightest of touches by Viknesh would have resulted in the opener, but despite the number of bodies in the way Priyant palmed it out of danger.

Kerala were knocking on the door repeatedly and held almost two thirds of the possession, but went into halftime with nothing to show for it, both teams locked in a goalless stalemate.

Right off the whistle in the second half, Kerala came out looking hungrier, the crowd's noise bolstering them. It was the dual pressure that created the best chance of the game. West Bengal erred in defence, Subhendu Mandi losing the ball to Shighil inside his own box. The loose ball fell to Viknesh in the middle of the box, 12 yards from goal. Before he could shoot though, Priyant SIngh had closed him down, deflecting the attempt out for a corner. Bengal had escaped.

Wave after wave of Kerala attacks were met by a white wall of West Bengal resistance. Priyant Singh and the captain Monotosh Chakladar cleaning up for their colleagues' mistakes with last ditch clearances and diving saves. In the 53rd, Priyant made his first error of the game, spilling from a corner to allow Ajay Alex a shot at goal from five yards out. The defender shot wide.

With the minutes ticking by, the crowd got more desperate, and on the touchline so did Bino George. Kerala were controlling the game, and creating the best chances. Each time though, their inaccuracy in the final third let them down, and when it didn't Priyant was there to clean up.

With five minutes left in the Santosh trophy encounter, came the moment the stadium had been waiting for — via two substitutes Bino George had sent on, with the clear intention of injecting pace and guile. The first, TK Jesin, played Jijo Joseph clear with a sublime through ball in the box. Instead of shooting on goal, Joseph cut the ball back, and in the moment it looked like a decision gone wrong. But PN Noufal, had rushed in from the left side, reaching the pass just before Priyant's outstretched gloves to tap it in and sent the crowd into delirium.

But the drama was not done. In the final moments, West Bengal, inert for most of the second half, conjured chances of their own. In injury time came their moment to break hearts, Supriya Pandit meeting Fardin Ali Molla's sublime free kick with a cracking volley. The shot was from close range, and seemed destined for the bottom corner, but somehow Midhun palmed it out.

Kerala would not be denied. A minute later, off a counter, Muhammed Saheef played Jesin through cleanly on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat. The forward, who had barely put a step wrong since coming on, slotted it home. Two wins from two, the hosts had powered through, atop Group A on their own now.