Santosh Trophy final LIVE SCORE, Kerala vs Services: KER v SSB real-time updates

Kerala started with a wide attacking shape and went on the offence right from the beginning. It almost scored when Arjun left the woodwork shaking, but that was the closest chance it had since. Services goalkeeper Gagandeep must also be praised for making crucial saves amid constant bombardment by Kerala’s players.

On the other hand, Services will be happy to have stuck to its plan to defend with every resource available, keeping Kerala’s goalscorers - in this edition of the Santosh Trophy - at bay.

Despite Kerala dominating attack throughout the first half, it failed to convert any of the chances, going into the break locked 0-0 with Services.

The dense low block of Kerala forces Services to test the goalkeeper from distance as Vijay lets in a right-footed shot, which goes off-target, without causing any trouble to Hajmal.

With a minute of regulation time in the first half, Kerala’s strategy looks clear: run out the half and start afresh again. But it still maintains possession in its own half, denying any opening to the Services.

Shijin gets a cross from the right and jumps to get a free-header. However, his attempt is just off target as the ball flies out of play over the net. Coach Shafeeq Hassan lets out a cold sigh as his side almost takes the lead.

Services’ biggest strength is its defence - one that saw it hold defending champion West Bengal to a goalless draw, before winning the contest 3-2 on penalties. Meanwhile, Kerala has gone all guns blazing throughout the tournament.

The dynamics truly make the match an unstoppable force against an immovable object.

Hajmal starts the build-up from the back, rolling the ball to his backline as Kerala march up the pitch. However, a foul close to the right corner flag gives Services a free-kick. Services then go up the pitch to see its final shot fly out for a goal kick.

Muhammad Ajsal is the target man for Kerala, while for Services, his counterpart is Abhishek Pawar, who scored twice in the semifinal to guide his team into the summit clash. However, the No. 34 has been denied any space to shoot so far into this match.

As play resumes after the cooling break, Ajsal gets a floated ball from the right flank. He tries to head the ball in when Gagandeep denies him the opener.

Sanju gets the ball as Kerala continues to dictate play in the final. Asif then drags the ball along the right flank, trying to barge into the box when a defensively astute Services blocks his run.

Arjun V decides to pull the trigger from the distance as he shifts to his left and then takes a shot from outside the box. However the ball hits the woodwork and comes out!

Kerala has dominated the attack so far, with Arjun and Ajsal combining in the final third. But Services remains on the prowl, with Abhishek moving in the box for a final ball to finish.

Arjun gets the ball in front of the penalty box and sets up Ajsal in the box. The forward almost scores when Services makes a block at the last moment, conceding a corner. The first corner is headed out for another. Arjun takes it again, and this time, the ball lands on top of the net.

The last time Kerala won the Santosh Trophy was in front of a packed house in Manjeri, beating West Bengal on penalties in 2022.

Services gets a corner kick, which is cleared by Kerala’s defence and then Vijay tries to create some trouble for Kerala. However, his poor finish sees the ball go out for a Kerala goal kick.

Ajsal gets the ball outside the box and makes a run into the box. He dribbles past two Services defenders and then attempts to launch a shot, which is ultimately blocked. Ajsal, who has come through the Kerala Blasters youth system, impressed in the Super League Kerala, scoring seven times for Calicut FC.

Arjun gets the ball up the pitch for Kerala but Services makes a timely interception to get the ball back in its possession. Kerala is playing in a wide-attacking formation of 4-4-2, while Services has decided to go with a conventional counterattacking 4-3-3 shape.

Services tries to play out from the back, with Gagandeep getting the ball to Chanambam as the ball moves from the midfield to the final third. Maibam then sends in a low cross, which is blocked by Kerala and a final touch off a Services player sees the ball go out for a goal kick.

Kerala goes for an attack on the counter, with build up through the centre. However, after Services thwarts that development, the last year’s runner-up sends in a floated ball into the box, which is controlled well by Gagandeep.

Services try to find an opening from distance with a free-kick, which is headed away by Kerala’s defence. Services last won the title in 2024, beating Goa in the final and is also looking for its eighth National title.

Kerala gets an early corner kick. The side was extremely dangerous with set pieces against Punjab, scoring the first two goals through build-up from the corners. Services, however, clear the ball this time.

Kerala gets the ball rolling in Assam. The team starts with Ajsal as one of the main strikers, a player who will join Kerala Blasters after the final.

Yes, if 90 minutes of regulation time plus stoppage time cannot decide the fate of the match, the match will have another 30 extra minutes. If the contest remains level even then, spot-kicks will decide the winner of this Santosh Trophy final.

The players walk onto the field. Kerala starts in yellow and red, while Services start from the other end.

Players of both sides have arrived at the stadium for the final and have taken the field for the last minutes of warm-up. A trophy awaits one of the sides, with the action set to begin in just under 30 minutes.

History, legacy, and redemption will all be on the line as the final promises a compelling contest of contrasting styles, where Kerala’s attacking firepower will be tested against Services’ trademark defensive discipline.

Kerala has 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. It brushed aside host Assam 3-0 in the quarterfinals before producing a ruthless 4-0 demolition of Punjab in the semifinals.

Read the full preview below:

Santosh Trophy 2025-26 Final Preview: Kerala faces Services in search of an eighth title

Kerala and Services will meet each other in the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final on Sunday at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in Assam as both sides search for their eighth crown.

Welcome to Sportstar’s blog of the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final. The Men’s Senior National Championship has come to the very end, with this match deciding which team will lift the coveted trophy in Assam.

Click here to read article