Dhakuakhana(Assam), Feb. 8 -- Services defeated Kerala 1-0 in an absorbing final of the 79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2025-26 at the jam-packed Dhakuakhana Football Stadium, Dhakuakhana, Assam, on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
This was the eighth time they won the holy grail of Indian Football in their chequered history. Striker Abhishek Pawar slammed the only goal of a tense battle in the 109th minute, after regulation and the first half of extra time yielded no goals.
It was only the second time in the championship's hallowed history that these two teams clashed in the final. They had last met in the 2012-13 edition's final in Kochi when Services won 4-3 via the penalty shoot-out after the teams had drawn a blank at...