Santosh Trophy 2024-25: West Bengal beats Kerala 1-0 to clinch record-extending 33rd title
The HinduWest Bengal re-asserted its supremacy in the Santosh Trophy national football championship, clinching the title for a record 33rd time with a 1-0 win against Kerala in the final of the 78th edition at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Tuesday. But it didn’t stop Hansda from running away with two top individual awards of the tournament – the Tulsidas Balaram Player of the Match award and the Peter Thangaraj Player of the Tournament Award. Kerala defender Adil Amal was wrong-footed when Hansda, who was camping himself well inside the area, a few yards away from the goalkeeper Hajmal S, put the ball in to trigger off massive celebration in the West Bengal bench. West Bengal coach Sanjoy Sen said he felt honoured to take the trophy back to Kolkata after seven years.