Kochi: In the state senior football championship at Ernakulam Maharaja College ground, Thrissur defeated Malappuram to reach the semifinals. In the second quarterfinal held in the evening, Thrissur won 4-3. Malappuram took the lead with a goal by Hashir in the 11th minute, but Thrissur quickly scored two goals within ten minutes to turn the game around.
Ajith K.S (17) and Nasar P.A (21) were the scorers for Thrissur. Malappuram equalized in the 27th minute through Nandakrishna, but Thrissur regained the lead just before halftime with a goal from Santhosh. In the second half’s second minute, Mohammed Musammil scored to strengthen Thrissur’s position. Although Nandakrishna scored again in the 67th minute, it was not enough to overcome Thrissur. Thrissur triumphed in this tough match. They will face Kottayam in the first semifinal on the 19th at 3:45 PM.
In the morning match, Idukki secured a spot in the semifinals by defeating Kozhikode 2-0. Idukki opened the scoring in the 3rd minute with a goal from Ajmal Kazhiyil and added a second in the 75th minute through Akshay Kumar Subedi. Despite a strong fight, Kozhikode could not find a response. Idukki, the current runners-up, will face Thiruvananthapuram in the quarterfinals on Saturday morning at 7:30 AM. There are two matches scheduled for today: Kannur will take on Palakkad at 7:30 AM, and Ernakulam will face Alappuzha at 3:45 PM. The winners will meet in the last quarterfinal on the evening of the 18th.