Kerala is gearing up to commence their journey in the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship, and their first match is scheduled against Gujarat on October 11. This marks the initial phase of the tournament, where Kerala, a seven-time champion, finds itself placed in Group A. This group includes host state Goa, as well as Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat.
The tournament structure entails that nine teams, selected from six groups, will advance to the final phase, set to take place in Arunachal Pradesh. In addition to the qualifiers, the defending champions Karnataka, the runners-up Meghalaya, and the hosts Arunachal Pradesh will also be part of the final stage. These 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six teams each, with the top two from each group progressing to the semifinals.
Kerala, who faced disappointment last season by failing to reach the semifinals, is determined to make a stronger showing this time. They have appointed Satheevan Balan as the head coach for their campaign. Kerala’s upcoming fixtures in the tournament include matches against Gujarat on October 11 at 9 am, Jammu & Kashmir on October 13 at 9 am, Chhattisgarh on October 15 at 9 am, and Goa on October 17 at 4 pm.
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