Santosh Trophy 2009: Kerala wins 5-0

Kerala scored an emphatic 5-0 win over Chandigarh in the Cluster I match held at the Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore and kicks off their Santosh Trophy campaign in style.

With most of their players having played with each other in the I League, Kerala outfit dominated the match right from the start and never allowed their opponents to take the control of the game.

For victors it was Chandni FC's KP Zubair who found the net twice in the first half in quick succession to give his team a 2-0 lead in the 38th minute. Zubair scored both the goals in the same fashion as he headed the ball perfectly in from crosses on both the occasions.

The striker playing for Chandini FC found the back of the net in the 36th minute to give Kerala a 1-0 lead and within two minutes increased the lead to ensure that Kerala were 2-0 up as the match entered into the lemon break.

As the second half started Kerala started playing a composed game and increased the lead through Churchill Brothers' young Striker Bineesh Balan in the 67th minute as his powerful shot from 18 yard found the back of the net.

In the 80th minute MP Sakeer of Viva Kerala showed his skills as he headed in a perfect long ranger past Chandigarh custodian to extend the lead to 4-0.

Chandigarh's misery wasn't yet over as Kerala skipper NP Pradeep who showed why he is one of the best midfielders in the Indian team as he lobbed the ball past Chandigarh goal keeper to make it 5-0 in the injury time and seal a convincing victoery for Kerala.

Justin Stephen was the pick of the defenders in the Kerla line up, The Mahindra United defender managed the Kerala back line very well.

For more Kerala match photos, Visit Footballkerala Gallery

Source: the-aiff.com

From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Tuesday 26 May 2009, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.