Bengal defeat Kerala to win Santosh Trophy for 33rd time
Kolkata: After Bengal on Tuesday defeated Kerala 1-0 in the final and lifted the Santosh Trophy for an unprecedented 33rd time at Gachibowli Stadium Hyderabad, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party’s national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee congratulated the entire team for achieving this feat.
Taking to social media, Mamata Banerjee late Tuesday evening said: “After an 8-year wait, Bengal football begins 2025 on a triumphant note by reclaiming the prestigious Santosh Trophy for a record-breaking 33rd time!”
In a post on X, the Chief Minister added: “This incredible victory was sealed by the sensational strike from Robi Hansda, who also earned the Golden Boot with a stunning tally of 13 goals. Heartiest congratulations to coach Sanjoy Sen, captain Chaku Mandi, the entire team, and the management, coaching, and training staff for this historic achievement. Bengal continues to shine as the epicenter of Indian football. Here’s to many more glorious moments ahead!”
Abhishek Banerjee said that six players from Diamond Harbour football club were part of the team. “Bengal has once again etched its name in history by clinching the Santosh Trophy for a record 33rd time, defeating Kerala in a hard-fought final with a solitary goal by Robi Hansda,” Abhishek said in his post on X.
He further stated: “This victory feels personal as six players from Diamond Harbour Football Club (DHFC) – Naro Hari Shrestha, Rabilal Mandi, Ayon Mondal, Supriya Pandit, Vishal Das and Suprodip Hazra – were part of the squad, with four of them featuring in today’s match.”
“It has been my constant effort to provide our players with a platform to showcase their skills and to see them shine on a national stage and win laurels for the state is extremely fulfilling. A heartfelt congratulations to coach Sanjoy Sen, the management, the entire coaching and training staff for making this remarkable achievement possible,” Abhishek said on X.
Earlier, Robi Hansda scored the only goal of the match in the added-time of the second half at the Gachibowli Stadium.
Robi found the back of the net with an easy finish from point-blank range after Aditya Thapa headed the ball into the box.
This was the 12th goal of the competition for the Bengal player, who also emerged as the tournament’s top scorer.
After a first half punctuated with occasional chances, the second period of the game saw numerous attacks from both sides.
In the 58th minute, Bengal’s free kick narrowly missed the target and in the 62nd, the team earned another free kick just outside the box, but that too did not find the back of the net.
Soon after Bengal broke the deadlock, Kerala earned a free kick but it went over the crossbar, much to the disappointment of the southern state.
Both the sides have shown form befitting of their stature in the tournament, winning nine of their 10 matches, while drawing one each during their march to the title clash.
Historically, Bengal have dominated at this stage. In recent times, however, seven-time winners Kerala have had the edge over their eastern rivals, winning the 2017-18 and the 2021-22 titles by defeating Bengal in the final.
