Super League Kerala Season 3 ready to roll as Kannur Warriors begin title defence

Kannur: The third season of the White Gold Super League Kerala will kick off today, with Kannur Warriors FC beginning their title defence against Thrissur Magic FC in the opening match at the Kannur Jawahar Stadium.

Super League Kerala Season 3 will introduce several new changes. The league leaders will be awarded a 'Super League Kerala Shield' for finishing at the top of the points table at the end of the league stage.

The Super League Kerala has also introduced key updates for the upcoming season, increasing the total number of matches from 33 to 35. Under the new format, the semi-finals will feature home-and-away two-legged ties. League-stage matches tied at the end of 90 minutes will move straight to a penalty shootout under a new 3-2-1 points structure: 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for a shootout win, and 1 point for a shootout loss. Knockout matches will stick to the traditional extra-time and penalties format.

Reigning champions ready for the fight
Defending champions Kannur Warriors come into the season with a stronger squad, acquisitions on every front to ensure reinforcements. Following the departure of Manuel Sánchez, who served as head coach for the past two seasons, former Mohammedan SC manager Andrey Chernyshov has taken over as the head coach of Kannur, who will battle his former club in the season opener. Chernyshov’s experience in Indian football, and considering his I-League success with Mohammedan, points to the team doing everything to defend their throne.

"We are entering the new season with the objective of defending our title. We were able to sign top-tier players this season, and we are optimistic about starting our journey with a win against Thrissur tomorrow," said Kannur head coach Chernyshov.

The team, this time, has included 8 local players from Kannur. The Warriors boast strong players in both attack and defence. Hajmal Sakeer, a proven goalkeeper in the Super League, will be the last line of defence. While the defensive line features Spanish left-footed centre-back Varo Alvarez, along with experienced players Vikas Saini, Sairuat Kima and Manoj Kannan, the Cameroonian captain Ernestine Lovsamba, Frederick Ansah Botchway and Umashankar add control and composure in the middle of the park. The attack will be spearheaded by top scorer and Spanish forward Asier Gomez, alongside last season's emerging player Mohammed Sinan and newly signed Serbian striker Bogdan Stamenkovic.

Redemption against the rivals
Last season’s finalists Thrissur Magic will be looking to begin their campaign with a win against the champions. Spanish coach David Caneda was brought in as the head coach of Thrissur Magic to replace Chernyshov. Former Indian player Jo Paul Ancheri will serve as his assistant coach. The best goalkeeper of last season, Kamaludheen, has been retained. New acquisitions like Henry Plazas will look to add solidity to the back line. Former Indian international Lenny Rodrigues has renewed his contract with the club to add experience in midfield, where he will partner with Spanish entry Sergio Gil. Mohammed Afsal will lead the attack for Thrissur Magic.

"We returned with disappointment last season, but this time, our desire is to secure a victory and return from Kannur with success," said Aslam, Operations Manager of Thrissur Magic FC.

The match will kick off at 8 pm. The pre-match events will begin at 6 pm, and the half-time show will feature a performance by renowned rapper Dabzee.