Santosh Trophy: Goa beats Assam 1-0 in a heated match

Goa defeated Assam 1-0 on December 28 evening in the 76th Hero Senior Men’s National Football Championship at Sports Authority of India, Sports Training Centre venue at Kathalguri, Kokrajhar in Assam.

Around 5000 people witnessed today’s match braving cold but the hosts couldn’t able to stand up to their expectations.

The team finished nil in the first half of the match. Later in the 49th minute, forward Stendly Teotonio Fernandes scored a beauty to lead Goa 1-0. However, Assam failed to return to the goal. 
 
The teams will play their matches in the group III category. As many as 6 teams are in the group III category. The Santosh Trophy has been jointly organised by Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam Football Association (AFA) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The 2022–23 Santosh Trophy is the 76th edition of the Santosh Trophy, the premier competition in India for teams representing their regional and state football associations.

Also Read: Assam: Lovlina Borgohain wins gold at Women’s Boxing national Championship in Bhopal

Saudi Arabia will hold the main round of the tournament, which will be contested by 12 teams.
 
As many as 36 teams contest the qualifiers who represent the states and union territories of India. The teams were drawn into six groups. The Santosh Trophy will be played in a new format. 

That is 36 teams will play in 6 groups for a place in the final round. The six group toppers, along with the three best second-placed teams will qualify for the Final Rounds. Railways and Services will get direct entry along with the hosts.

The Santosh Trophy is also known as Hero Senior Men's National Football Championship is a state-level football competition contested by the state associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation (AIFF). 

Before the starting of the first national club league, the National Football League in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the top domestic honour in India. Many players who have represented India internationally, played and gained honour while playing in the Santosh Trophy.