KOCHI: Calicut FC secured the top position in the standings by defeating Kannur Warriors 3-1 in their final league match of Super League Kerala at the EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode, on Thursday. With this victory, Calicut moved to 19 points from ten matches, while second-placed Kannur finished with 16 points from as many games.
The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute when Kannur’s David Grande successfully converted a penalty awarded after Calicut’s Manoj committed a foul inside the box. Calicut, led by their Brazilian forward John Kennedy, responded with multiple attempts to equalise, but Kannur goalkeeper Bilal Khan made several exceptional saves to maintain their lead.
At the stroke of half-time, Richard brought the score to level terms for Calicut with a header, making it 1-1 during added time. The second half began with Kannur applying consistent pressure and controlling possession, while Calicut initially struggled to reassert their superiority. However, Calicut regained their composure in the final ten minutes of the game.
John Kennedy put Calicut ahead 2-1 with a well-executed header in the 81st minute. Calicut didn’t put the brakes on after taking the lead, and during stoppage time, defender Muhammed Riyas scored through a counterattack, securing a 3-1 win for his team.
Meanwhile, the winner of Friday’s match between Thiruvananthapuram Kombans and Malappuram FC will claim the final semifinal berth of the Super League.