Kerala Premier League 2018: Gokulam Kerala defeat Quartz to be crowned champions

Head coach Santiago Valera has clinched his first major silverware at the Kerala-based I-League club...

defeated Quartz 2-0 in the final of the 2018 Kerala Premier League to be crowned champions of the fifth edition of the tournament run by the state football association.

Substitutes Brian Umony (69') and Arjun Jayaraj (87') scored in the second-half following a goalless first-half to ensure the win for Gokulam Kerala at the Corporation Stadium ground in Thrissur. Hristijan Denkoviski, VP Suhair, Emmanuel Chigozie all started the game for the Malabarians.

The win hands head coach Santiago Valera his first major trophy after taking over from Bino George recently.

Quartz SC, with Carlton Chapman at the helm, registered a phenomenal comeback in 2018 after their troublesome campaign last season where they were forced to pull out and fined by the KFA.

Gokulam Kerala had defeated Sports Academy Tirur 1-0 while Quartz beat FC Thrissur 4-2 in the semi-finals. The previous winners of KPL which started in 2013 are Eagles FC, State Bank of Travancore (back-to-back) and KSEB.