Warriors shake off a fighting Malappuram, enter SLK semifinal

Kannur Warriors FC edges past Malappuram FC in a thrilling 4-3 victory, securing a spot in the semifinals.

What a match!

Two desperate teams cooked up a seven-goal party but in the end it was Kannur Warriors FC which edged past a fighting Malappuram FC 4-3 in a Super League Kerala fixture at the EMS Corporation Stadium here on Sunday.

The victory took Kannur to 16 points, the same as league leader Calicut FC, and carried it to the semifinal, the second team to do so. After losing its last game, Kannur had Forca Kochi breathing down its neck in the points table and its intent was clear... to win at all cost.

Kannur was in a hurry, it came up with fast moves and scored two quick goals, through Spaniard Asier Gomes in the second minute and midfielder Pragyan Sundar in the eighth.

The first goal was a nice one. Rishad advanced through the right and sent a lovely cross into the box for Gomes to do the rest.

Pragyan had a lot of work to do for the second goal. As he went on a solo run, he had a rival virtually fall at his feet and then another defender attempting to pull him back as he entered the box but the midfielder kept his cool and beat goalkeeper Muhammed Sinan with an angled shot.

The Malappuram defence had looked shady all this while but the visitor fought back and levelled the score 2-2 by half-time with goals from Faslu Rahman — an angled shot from the right following throw-in — and a smart freekick from just outside the box from Aitor Aldalur.