Super League Kerala set for another blockbuster season as Kannur Warriors enter as defending champions
New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) After two strong seasons, the third edition of Super League Kerala is set to start with defending champions Kannur Warriors entering as the top contenders when they start off against last season’s finalists Thrissur Magic FC at the Jawahar Municipal Stadium in Kochi on Friday.
The season will see six teams locking horns for the coveted trophy in a home-and-away format as fans wait in excitement to throng the venues. Apart from these two, Malappuram FC, 2024 winners Calicut FC, Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC, and Forca Kochi FC will also be vying for the prize.
The opening ceremony will see stars enthral the fans with performances from the likes of Sarangi Shyam (a popular dancer), MC Couper, MXRDerror (Aditi Nair R), and a DJ performance by Daszi lined up. Dabzee will light up the Kannur Stadium at half-time with a performance.
Meanwhile, SLK managing director, Firoz Meeran, is excited for the upcoming season. “We are extremely excited to begin Season 3 of Super League Kerala. Every new season gives us an opportunity to take another step forward in building a stronger and more sustainable football ecosystem in Kerala.
“We have seen the growing enthusiasm around the league, and this season we look forward to bringing together passionate fans, talented players, experienced coaches and clubs on an even bigger platform,” he said.
The league has introduced a couple of interesting changes, with the tied group stage matches now heading into penalty shootouts and not being declared drawn games.
Moreover, the semifinals will be played in a double-leg format on a home-and-away basis, similar to what happens in the Champions League. These changes are aimed at adding greater competitiveness and engagement to the tournament.
SLK’s Director and CEO Mathew Joseph had recently spoken about the changes in an exclusive interaction with IANS. “So, this year, what we are looking at is a penalty shootout. And at the end of the (league) game, there will be a definitive winner,” he told IANS.
“So, that is rule number one, which we are implementing. This is accepted by FIFA and the All India Football Federation. We have taken the approvals for that. So, I think for the first time in the country, we will have a league that has implemented a penalty shootout at the end of the match.
“We are also going to have a home and away, leg 1 and leg 2 of the semifinals. So, that is the first time we are introducing this thing. So, earlier we had two semifinals and the final. This year, what we are doing is there will be the first leg of the semifinal. And the same team will go and play against the opposite team on their home turf. So, they get two chances,” Mathew said.
–IANS
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