AIFF Media Team

SILAPATHAR/DHAKUAKHANA: Group B of the 79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy Final Round saw three draws on Saturday, January 24, 2026, as Kerala and Railways, Meghalaya and Punjab, and Services and Odisha shared the spoils in their respective matches in Silapathar and Dhakuakhana, Assam.

With all teams picking up a point apiece, Kerala and Meghalaya continue to occupy the respective top two spots in Group B, each with four points, followed by Railways and Services on two points, while Odisha and Punjab have one point each.

Kerala 1 (Soibam Abhinash Singh 37’ og)
drew with
Railways 1 (Faseen PK 80’)

Former champions Railways and Kerala shared the spoils in an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Silapathar Football Stadium.

While Kerala took the lead through an own goal from Railways defender Soibam Abhinash Singh in the 37th minute, impact substitute Faseen PK scored the equaliser in the 80th minute.

Kerala gradually settled into the game and began probing the Railways defence with neat passing moves and through balls. Their pressure paid off in the 37th minute. Shijin T broke down the right flank after being released with a through ball and whipped in a low cross into the box. In an attempt to clear the danger, Railways defender Soibam Abhinash Singh inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, handing Kerala the lead at the break.

Railways responded with renewed urgency in the second half. Ngangbam Pacha Singh and Prabik Ghising tested Alkesh Raj with a couple of threatening free-kicks as the former champions searched for an equaliser.

Their persistence finally paid off in the 80th minute from a set-piece. Ghising swung in a corner from the left and substitute Faseen PK rose highest to power home a well-taken header, restoring parity.

Punjab 3 (Jagdeep Singh 60’, Himanshu Jangra 71’, Harmanpreet Singh 81’)
drew with
Meghalaya 3 (Owanijuh Pajuh 35’, Baby Sunday Marngar 69’, Deibormame Tongper 78’)

Thrice in arrears, Punjab produced something extra to restore parity every time and hold Meghalaya to a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating match at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium.

Meghalaya forged ahead in the 34th minute when Owanijuh Pajuh scored to give them a halftime lead. But five goals came in the second half as Punjab drew level through Jagdeep Singh in the 61st minute. Baby Sunday Marngar put Meghalaya in front again in the 70th, only for Himanshu Jangra to restore parity only two minutes later. Meghalaya were not giving up and made it 3-2 in the 78th minute as Deibormame Tongper scored. Hardly had the cheers died down, when Punjab struck for a third time through substitute Harmanpreet Singh in the 80th minute to force a fighting 3-3 draw eventually.

The side from the Northeast took the lead much against the run of play as Apborlang Kurbah sent his long throw into the box. Dibormi Kassar deflected it wide, and it fell to the unmarked Owanijuh Pajuh, who tapped home high into the near post in the 34th minute.

Punjab changed gears and stepped up the tempo after resumption, coming more into the attacking picture by spraying the ball to the flanks and operating more efficiently. Picking up a midfield cross, Samson Keishing relayed it to Jagdeep Singh, whose angled right footer settled into the net past goalkeeper Rawat Paul Lyngdoh for the equaliser.

Rattled by the equaliser, Meghalaya also moved up briskly and took the lead as substitute Fairming Suting pushed wide to Deibormame Tongper on the right. The latter lobbed into the box, and Baby Sunday Marngar’s header settled into the net on the first bounce, beating custodian Karandeep Singh. Almost after the restart, Punjab made it 2-2 as Himanshu Jangra placed home a neat pass from Harpreet Singh.

The see-saw battle wasn’t over yet. Meghalaya once again made it 3-2 after Deibormame Tongper’s firm left-footer settled low into the near post from the edge of the box. But Punjab were not the ones to give up as they found their energy and spirit to make it 3-3 as substitute Harmanpreet Singh sprinted in to meet Sangamdeep Singh’s lob and head home as the teams shared points in a thrilling draw.

Services 0
drew with
Odisha 0

Odisha and Services played out a goalless draw at the Silapathar Football Stadium.

The result helped Odisha open their account in the final round with their first point after losing their opener, leaving them fifth in the standings. Services, meanwhile, moved to two points from as many matches, and sit fourth in the group.

Both sides began cautiously, with neither willing to take early risks, which resulted in a cagey first half with limited clear-cut opportunities. Odisha fashioned the first meaningful chance in the 14th minute when Srikant Gadaba dodged his marker Vijay J with a neat touch before firing a right-footed effort, but Services goalkeeper Gagandeep Singh made a fine diving save to keep the scoreline intact.

Services struggled to find rhythm in the attacking third before the break, despite winning a handful of set-pieces, and went into half-time without testing Odisha goalkeeper Siddhanta Padhan.

The second half saw Services emerge with greater intent, but they were repeatedly denied by an inspired Padhan, who produced a string of outstanding saves. In the 49th minute, Khullakpam Zahir Khan’s cross found Abhishek Pawar, whose effort was smartly blocked by Padhan. Six minutes later, Pawar was thwarted again after a well-worked move, with the Odisha custodian alert to the danger.

Padhan’s finest work came in the closing stages. In the 69th minute, he pulled off a superb diving save to deny Vijay J’s powerful strike, before showing lightning reflexes to parry Roshan Panna’s close-range attempt three minutes later. His assured handling and positioning ensured Odisha held firm to secure a valuable point.