Josco FC are Kerala Club Football champions again!

Josco FC overcame State Bank of Travancore (SBT) in a penalty shootout to lift the 36th Kerala State Club Football Championship held at SKMJ College Floodlit Ground, Kalpetta.

This is Josco's fourth title in two months and they once again, the Bankmen fell prey to the club owned by the jewellery giants. Josco FC had earlier defeated SBT 3-0 to lift the 35th Kerala State Club Championship for NI David Trophy that was held at Thrissur in January, 2011. They had also won the Dhronacharya Trophy in January and the Bisahu Das Mahant Memorial All India Gold Cup Football Tournament earlier this month.

At the SKMJ Ground, the score remained tied at 1-1 after 120 minutes and the match was to be decided from the penalty spot. After a goalless first half, Josco took the lead through their foriegn striker Jeribe Kelechi in the 80th minute, but SBT draw level through Mohammed Harris with five minutes of play left to play.

Josco FC pipped SBT 3-2 in the shootouts to lift the club championship trophy, this time sponsored by Mathrubhumi Newspaper. Josco's T Sajith, TS Satheesh, Anish KP were on target in the shootout while KM Abdul Noushad and M Abdul Basheer scored for SBT. SBT had earlier defeated the Kerala State Electricity Board to enter the finals of the tournament. Jipson Justus scored the lone goal of the semi final match in the 78th minute.

MV Sreyamskumar MLA, the Managing Director of Mathrubhumi Daily gave away the prizes. MJ Vijayapathman, Director of Mathrubhumi and President of Wayanad District Football Association (WDFA) and KP Sunny, Secretary of  Kerala Football Association presided over the function.

From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Sunday 27 February 2011, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.