KER Vs SSCB Highlights, Santosh Trophy 2026 Final: Pawar’s Extra-Time Winner Seals Eighth Title For Services

When and where will the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final be played?

The Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final between Kerala and Services will be played at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in Assam on February 8. The match will kick off at 1:00 pm IST.

How to watch Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final?

The Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final between Kerala and Services will not be available on TV. However, the contest will be live-streamed on FIFA+.

Services head coach Subedar Mileswamy Govindaraju Ramachandran - “The most important factor at this stage is mentality. We stayed strong psychologically, supported by our management, and that helped us bounce back. Hard work eventually pays off.”

Kerala head coach Shafeeq Hassan -

“We believe in playing good football and entertaining the audience. Most importantly, we believe in the process and the process has gone well so far.”

Kerala have been one of the most dominant sides in the tournament, having topped Group B with 10 points and carried that momentum into the knockouts with emphatic wins. They brushed aside hosts Assam 3-0 in the quarter-finals before producing a ruthless 4-0 demolition of Punjab in the semi-finals. 

Services, last champions in 2023-24, will take confidence from that win despite having taken the harder road to the final. Their journey has been built on resilience and mentality, most notably in their quarter-final triumph over defending champions West Bengal via a penalty shootout.

We are approaching kick-off soon between Kerala and Services at the Assam's Dhakuakhana Football Stadium.

The players are onto the field. Kerala starts in yellow and red, while Services start from the other end. Dignitaries are meeting the players ahead of kick-off.

We are away at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium between SSB and KER in the Santosh Trophy 2026 final. This will be one to watch with both teams looking to give their best under the scorching sun of Assam.

Kerala 0-0 Services 1'

SSB look to find the early goal via a free-kick, but is headed away by Kerala’s defence. Early signs show it's a cagey affair between the two sides here.

Kerala 0-0 Services 5'

Services, who are playing in their white kit, get an opportunity in the Kerala goal but the latter clear the danger away. SSB are looking dangerous whenever they get into the opposition box.

Kerala 0-0 Services 9'

Services have had the best chances on goal but not troubled the Kerala keeper as such. They have been half-chances but that cannot be said the same about the Kerala side.

Kerala 0-0 Services 14'

Ajsal was clean on through the SSB goal but a clean tackle from the latter sees Kerala win a corner. Ajsal will fly to Kerala post the final and join the Blasters for the upcoming ISL season.

Kerala 0-0 Services 20'

The Dhakuakhana Football Stadium is packed to the rafters today for the Santosh Trophy final with fans thronging to watch the elusive game between SSB and KER.

Kerala 0-0 Services 22'

Arjun V pulls the trigger from the distance with his his left and then takes a shot from outside the box. However the ball hits the woodwork and comes out!

Kerala 0-0 Services 27'

It's 35 minutes on the clock and we are approaching the half-time plus stoppages in Assam. No breakthrough yet but a goal right before the break could hand some morale-boost to the team.

Kerala 0-0 Services 35'

Shijin's header goes over the bar. A great cross comes in from the right but Shijin meets the toe end of it but cannot direct it on goal as a golden opportunity is wasted.

Kerala 0-0 Services 41'

A quiet half comes to an end with both teams having chances but unable to convert them to a goal. Kerala will be disappointed with the chances they've been presented but did not get the ball back into the net.

Kerala 0-0 Services

We are underway in the second half. Abhishek Pawar tries to thread a cross to Zahir Khan from the left, but Kerala’s defence holds firm. They swiftly launch a counter, only for Jijo Jerone to snuff it out with a perfectly timed interception.

The ball comes from the left, and there’s a shot from outside the box, oh no! It flies way off target. You can see the frustration as the young striker shakes his head, and the Kerala fans groan along with him, what a chance gone.

Kerala is hanging back now, clearly playing for extra time, with everyone tucked into their own half. Services line up for a free-kick, Hajmal comes out strong and punches it away. Asif tries to settle the ball, but Mingte dives in from behind, ends up fouling, and picks up a yellow. Chaos on the pitch as Asif stays down, bleeding, and the medics rush in to patch him up.

The whistle blows! Jehrul Islam signals the end of 90 minutes plus stoppage time, and still no breakthrough. Both sides head into extra time, and if that doesn’t settle it, we’re looking at a penalty shootout. The tension is through the roof.

Abhishek Pawar charges down the right and crashes into the box, appealing for a penalty, but the referee gives a free-kick to Kerala instead. Extra time is underway, and both sides are coming out hungry, desperate for that breakthrough that could decide the match.

Kerala comes close again! Arjun swings in a corner, and Muhammed Riyas volleys it toward goal, but Gagandeep stretches to make a brilliant save, keeping Services in the game. The tension is mounting as both teams search for that elusive breakthrough.

Goal! Services strike first! Abhishek Pawar does it again, slotting one home to give Services the lead. The same man who sealed their previous clash against Kerala finds the net once more, sending the Services fans into a frenzy and putting Kerala on the back foot.

Services are Santosh Trophy champions once again! The 2023-24 winners reclaimed the coveted trophy, with Abhishek Pawar’s decisive goal in Assam sealing their victory and sending their fans into celebrations.

That’s a wrap from us! We’ll be back with another live blog soon, until then, bye bye.