The night had all the ingredients for a thriller: a roaring Payyanad crowd, star names, and Kerala’s fiercest footballing passion. Yet, what unfolded was a dull and uneventful 0–0 draw between Malappuram FC and Kannur Warriors FC, leaving the fans wanting more than just noise and humidity.

Both teams lined up in 4-3-3 formations, but the first half never really caught fire. Faslu Rahman, who got injured in the last match, was replaced by Akbar in the starting XI. The ball moved, but the ideas didn’t. Malappuram enjoyed more possession, yet struggled to create anything meaningful. Roy Krishna, the Fijian striker, barely touched the ball early on, isolated and disconnected from the midfield led by Aitor Aldalur and Facu Ballardo. The few half-chances that came their way fizzled out tamely. Badr, the Moroccan midfielder, went for a long-range strike after a loose clearance from a set piece. It had power but lacked direction, sailing just over the crossbar.

The best moment of the opening half arrived in the 37th minute when Krishna miscued a simple close-range effort, sending it wide. The heat and humidity forced a drinks break soon after, a pause that seemed to mirror the match’s lethargy.

In the second half, the game opened slightly. John Kennedy came on for Malappuram and injected pace on the wing. Malappuram finally created a golden chance in the 60th minute when Abhijith missed an open goal, failing to tap in from a yard out. That moment summed up their night, energy without execution.

Kannur Warriors relied on occasional counters through Abdou Karim, but never looked truly threatening. Their defence, marshalled by Nicolas and goalkeeper Ubaid CK, stood firm and frustrated the hosts. When the final whistle blew, Payyanad’s cheers turned into sighs. Malappuram pressed, Kannur defended, but nothing separated them. Malappuram left the field with 0 shots on target, even with a 56% possession. It was a boring, goalless night, where sweat outweighed sparkle.

Malappuram remain unbeaten at home but will feel this was two points dropped. Kannur, meanwhile, walks away satisfied with a hard-earned draw. Kannur remains unbeaten against Malappuram.

Key Moments

18’ – Both teams try building attacks, but poor finishing in the final third keeps the score level.
25’ – Badr’s long-range effort from a rebound sails over the bar.
37’ – Roy Krishna misses from close range, his shot lacking clean contact.
60’ – Abhijith misses an open goal from a yard out, the best chance of the match.

Malappuram FC – Starting XI

Azhar (GK), Jithin Prakash, Abdul Hakku, Nithin Madhu, Aitor Aldalur (C), Gani Nigam, Facu Ballardo, Abhijith P A, Badr, Akbar, Roy Krishna

Substitutes:
Jaseen, Sanju, Akhil, Tony Antony, Savin, Sabrin, Rishad, Alan, John Kennedy

Kannur Warriors FC – Starting XI

Ubaid CK (GK), Sachin Sunil, Vikas Saini, Nicolas, Manoj S, Lavasamba (C), Asier Gomes, Ebindas, Shijin T, Sandeep S, Abdou Karim

Substitutes:
Alkesh Raj, Aswin Kumar, Shibin, Gokul S, Asif, Nidhal Saied, Arshad A, Arjun M M, Muhammed Sinan