KOZHIKODE: FOR 50 years now, Karnataka haven’t been able to crack the code when it comes to Santosh Trophy. They came close in the last two editions only to get knocked out in the semifinal stage in penalty shootouts. But their last trophy (as Mysore) came in 1968-69, while their last final appearance in a final came in 1975-76.
The level of competition in the tournament has gone down over the years and some players have even labelled it an ‘amateur-level’ event. Through all that, arguably in times when it’s easier to win, Karnataka still haven’t been able to taste that feeling.
On Wednesday, at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode, as Karnataka were toying around with Puducherry and won 7-0 in a Group B encounter of the South Zone qualifiers, questions arose on whether they can finally break the jinx. They are the dark horses once again and hungry to win.
Even though Karnataka is home to ISL’s defending champions Bengaluru FC and there is a full fledged league in Bengaluru, it hasn’t translated into success for the state team.
“It’s true that we haven’t won it in so many years but there is no lack of motivation as far as we are concerned. We are participating to win. The team came close in the last two years and sometimes it comes down to small margins,” said Karnataka head coach Biby Thomas.
However, he also suggested that not having success in Santosh Trophy doesn’t accurately reflect the status of the sport in the state. “Karnataka has one of the best football cultures in India. There is a good domestic league. It has been running for years and is going strong. The Bengaluru FC reserve team is playing in the league and it is a competitive championship,” said Biby. The coach has some BFC reserves in his squad, and based on their performance against Puducherry, they are strong contenders. “Getting to the main round is the toughest part. Only then can we start planning and know where we stand,” said Biby.
Karnataka were unstoppable against Puducherry. Their link-up play and passes were perfectly orchestrated and even though they scored seven goals, they were wasteful. Most of the goals were tap-ins after they mazed past defenders.
Result: Karnataka 7 (Dip Majumdar 20, 31, Vignesh Gunashekar 26, Sudheer Kotikela 32, Nikhil Raj 48, Amay Morajkar 74, Solaimalai N 78) bt Puducherry 0.
