Kerala XI edged Shifa Al Jazeera Star 5-4 via tie-breaker after the two teams were locked 0-0 in full time in a well contested semifinal match in the 5th Keli Football Tournament here on Friday. In the final scheduled next Friday June 12, Shifa Herbal Kerala XI will play Rukkie's Tea Rimal, which outlasted Classic Rest ACC 1-0 in the other semifinal.
Star Club came with a first good move in the 12th minute when Kerala football star, SBT's Asif Saheer dribbled past three opponents and his shot sailed over the bar. In the next move Star Club got fine opportunity to score when Asif Saheer's spectacular bicycle-kick off a cross from Riyaz Abdullah but alertness of Kerala XI keeper Shuhaib prevents to get the ball into the goal. Asif Saheer made several attacks on rival defence after combining well with his brother Shabir Ali but Kerala XI custodian Shuhaib was in terrific performance under the bar and expectedly voted Man-of-the-Match. The match then went to the tie-breaker where Kerala XI goal keeper Shuhaib blocked shot from Shameer to help put his team into final.
In the second semifinal Rukkie's Tea Rimal scored their lonely goal in the 20th minute. The opportunity was created when Shanavas' attempt on the ACC goalmouth which ACC defenders failed to clear the ball, unmarked Riyaz powered into the net. Stung by a goal ACC increased the pace of its game. ACC's midfield ace Zaheer teamed up with former Kerala State player Ajit Kumar and seized the initiative. ACC came close to scoring several occasions but the attempts by the goal keeper Mujeeb Areacode prevents ACC from scoring.
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Monday 8 June 2009, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.