Four-star Kerala demolishes Punjab, sets up summit clash with Services

Kerala stormed into the final of the 79th Santosh Trophy National football championship by crushing a 10-man Punjab 4-0 in the semifinal at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Thursday.

Seven-time champion Kerala will meet Services in the final on Sunday. Services defeated Railways 2-0 in the first semifinal at the same venue.

Muhammed Ajsal opened the scoring for Kerala in the 16th minute as he headed in M.M. Arjun’s corner-kick from the far post. 

Set-piece does the trick

P.T. Muhammed Riyas doubled the lead in the 34th through a set-piece move off another corner-kick taken by Arjun. 

Bibin Ajayan ran into the box to receive the short corner and relayed it to an unmarked Riyas who scored from close range. 

M. Viknesh capitalised on a defensive error to make it 3-0 at the stroke of half-time.

Punjab was reduced to 10 men in the 72nd minute when Harjit was sent off for his second bookable offence. Riyas netted from Ajsal’s assist to complete the rout in the 83rd.

Earlier, Abhishek Pawar struck once in each half as Services beat Railways to enter the final for the 13th time. Abhishek volleyed home the first goal and converted a penalty for the second when Zaheer Khan was tripped inside the box by a Railway defender.

The results (semifinals): Services 2 (Abhishek Pawar 32, 73) bt Railways 0; Punjab 0 lost to Kerala 4 (Muhammed Ajsal 16, P.T. Muhammed Riyas 34, 83, M. Viknesh 45).