79th Santosh Trophy 2025-26, Final: Services beat Kerala 1-0 to clinch title for eighth time – The Away End

Services defeated Kerala 1-0 in an enthralling final of the 79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2025-26 at the packed Dhakuakhana Football Stadium, Dhakuakhana, Assam, on Sunday, February 8, 2026.

This was the eighth time in their checkered history that they have won the holy grail of Indian football. Striker Abhishek Pawar scored the only goal of a tight battle in the 109th minute after regulation and the first half of extra time produced no goals.

It was only the second time in the hallowed history of the championship that these two teams clashed in the final. They had last met in the final of the 2012-13 edition in Kochi, when Services won 4-3 via the penalty shoot-out after the teams had scored a clean sheet at the end of regular time and extra time. So Services repeated that winning act once again.

Services had last won it in 2023-24 in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, beating Goa 1-0 in the final.

It was also only the second time that these two teams had played in a final, with Assam having played hosts six times in the past. Services had lost Bengal 1-6 in the 1969-70 final. Kerala had also lost 3-4 to Bengal through the penalty shoot-out after the teams drew 1-1 in the 1988-89 final.

While the huge crowd waited with bated breath for a goal and the match seemed to be heading for another shoot-out, Services devised a move wide on the left flank. Samuel Vanlalpeka sent substitute Shubham Rana down the flank in the 63rd minute. Shubham Rana advanced to the corner flag and sent a calculated center into the penalty area. Kerala goalkeeper Hajmal S did well to fist it. As the ball rolled to the edge of the box, striker Abhishek Pawar turned and sent a low right-handed footer flying that screamed past the tiring Kerala legs and into the net as the Services side erupted with joy. So did their vast army of supporters in the galleries.

Kerala gave it their all in the last twelve minutes of the remaining time. But well aided by goalkeeper and captain Gagandeep Singh, the Services defense defeated the attacks to keep their lead intact and lift the glittering trophy.

Abhishek Pawar, who had scored the only goal as Services defeated Kerala in their Group B league match, repeated his effort against the former champions and when it mattered most. The Kerala stoppers, especially Manoj M, were aware of his striking potential and kept him on the line throughout. They did not allow him any freedom within the range of the attack. It helped them that the Services midfield and full-backs did not give Pawar effective passes. Pawar too was not as active as he should have been. But you can’t let a good man down all the time, and he had the last laugh.

On the contrary, Kerala’s main striker Muhammed Ajsal proved to be a thorn in the side of the Services defense. His colleagues, Muhammed Riyas and Arjun, came up with some dangerous moves to create chances for him. With the Services stoppers playing wide apart, they took advantage of the resulting space to send him through. But Ajsal was a little slow in his last efforts as the desperate services rallied to thwart him. Arjun sent it through superbly in the 20th minute, but Ajsal delayed his shot and Chanambam Samananda rushed in to clear the ball at the expense of a failed corner.

Still, Arjun and Riyas did well to maintain possession and stretch the Services defenders on both flanks. But somehow their final passes were played a little too hard and faster into the centre-backs as they surrendered possession without provocation.

With the occasion weighing heavily on their minds, both sides opted for the strategy of ensuring they didn’t concede and score when possible, with the ball largely confined to the spaces between the two large boxes. They took turns dominating and threatened to score, but the defense was in control all the time. It wasn’t until halfway through the first half that the goalkeepers were really tested. Kerala midfielder Arjun V produced a scorching right-foot shot from 25 yards out, but it cleared the crossbar and rolled out.

For most of the match the goalkeepers only had to deal with innocuous lobs or clearing back passes at either end, with the final spiraling towards a stalemate towards the end of the first half of extra time. But Abhishek Pawar changed the script three minutes into the second half of extra time as Services underlined their supremacy, but only at the end.

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