Malappuram: The match between Malappuram FC and Kombans FC ended in a draw. Despite their efforts to win, Malappuram FC could not break the deadlock. This marks Malappuram’s third consecutive draw at Payyanad Stadium. John Kennedy scored for Malappuram while Ottmer found the net for Kombans through a penalty. Approximately 21,426 spectators attended the match.
For this match, coach Miguel Coral made two changes to the team lineup compared to the last game. Irshad replaced Akbar, and Sanju Ganesh came in for Nitin Madhu. The team set up in a 4-2-1-3 formation with Roy Krishna, Gani Nigam, and Abhijith in attack. Facundo Ballardo, Badur, and Irshad formed the midfield, while Spanish player Aitor Aldalour, Abdul Hakku, Sanju Ganesh, and Jithin Prakash led the defense. Mohammed Asher was in goal.
The game started with a strong push from Malappuram FC. In the first minute, a pass from Facundo almost created a scoring chance, but Abhijith failed to connect with the ball. In the tenth minute, Kombans’ attempt was blocked impressively by keeper Asher. Malappuram then had a chance at goal, but Kombans’ defense held firm. A cross from Roy Krishna led to a shot from Facundo. In the twelfth minute, a corner kick from Thiruvananthapuram was gathered by Asher. In the sixteenth minute, a big scoring opportunity was thwarted as captain Aitor’s kick was saved by Kombans’ keeper Aryan. In the twenty-fifth minute, Irshad’s powerful shot off a pass from Abhijith went just wide after hitting the post. Kombans’ Ottmer had a chance in the thirty-seventh minute, but Aitor blocked the shot, and the first half ended without goals.
At the start of the second half, Malappuram made three substitutions. Toni replaced Jithin, John Kennedy came in for Facundo, and Rishad Gafur took over for Gani Nigam. In the fifty-seventh minute, Toni delivered a great cross from the right wing, but no Malappuram players were able to head the ball into the net. Shortly after, Akhil Praveen came on for Irshad. A moment later, a shot from Kennedy was saved by Aryan. In the sixtieth minute, John Kennedy scored with a remarkable header from a free kick taken by Badur, sending the crowd into cheers.
In the seventy-fifth minute, a scramble in Malappuram’s box led the referee to award a penalty to Kombans, which Ottmer converted. In the eighty-seventh minute, a new signing player entered the field to replace Roy Krishna. Malappuram continued to attack in the closing moments but could not score again. The match ended in a 1-1 draw for both teams.
With this draw, Malappuram FC stands second in the table with 6 points. Their next match is on November 4 against Force Kochi at Ernakulam Maharajas College Stadium, marking their first away game of the season.