Kerala Blasters– 2 (Justine 14’ Md. Aimen 84’)
Bengaluru FC- 2 (Edmund 38’ Ashish Jha 52’)
Defending champions Bengaluru FC (BFC) and Kerala Blasters shared the spoils in the Southern Derby, which lived up to expectations and finished 2-2 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan (KBK) in Kolkata. The Group C 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup match result meant that Gokulam Kerala became the fourth team to officially qualify for the last eight stage of the tournament. Justine Emmanuel and Md. Aimen scored for the Blasters while Edmund Lalrindika and Ashish Jha were on the board for the champions.
Both coaches, Bibiano Fernandez of BFC and Frank Dauwen of the Blasters employed different formations going into the game. While the champions went in with a 4-3-3, the Manjappadas began with a 4-4-2.
Justine Emmanuel got the first great chance to score inside the first 10 minutes, when Adrian Luna put a cross in from the right-flank which the Blasters’ 20-year-old Nigerian striker headed towards goal. Luckily, BFC keeper Amrit Gope’s outstretched boot acted as a wall to deflect it away for a corner.
The first quarter of an hour was a period of sustained pressure by the Blasters and they were rewarded for it when Bryce Miranda found Vibin Mohanan with a square pass who in turn played on Justine inside the box. The Nigerian was in space and made no mistake with his right-footer this time for his second goal of the tournament.
In the 23rd, Danish Farooq played a give-n-go with the Uruguayan Luna and had a clear shot at goal from close, but shot straight at Amrit.
After the initial Blasters charge however, BFC were slowly but surely getting back into the game and they got a shot in the arm in the 38th minute when Edmund unleashed a powerful right-footer from the top of the Blasters box, placing it perfectly across keeper Sachin Suresh and into the right corner of the Blasters net.
The move was initiated by Shankar Sampingiraj from deep inside the BFC half, when his long ball found Bekey Oram’s run on the right wing. Bekey cut back in between three Blasters defenders to find Edmund in the clear. The former Indian Arrows product however was clinical in his finish.
A minute before the end of the half, Adrian Luna got at the end of a cross on top of the six-yard box and connected with a left-footed volley on the turn. A reflex save by Amrit, ensured that honours were even going into the break.
On commencement, Ashish Jha put the champions ahead with another brilliant strike. Beckey from still inside his half, found the run of Edmund on the left flank. The scorer of the first goal gained some yards and put in an innocuous cross inside the box. Central defender Saheef, with Ashish on his shoulder, met it first and had an easy clearance but fluffed it. The loose ball fell in front of Ashish who had his back towards goal. The youngster instantly shot on the turn and found the bottom left-corner of the Blasters net, with Sachin beaten for a second time in the game.
The Blasters were stung and mounted a wave of attacks in response. Dauwen took off Vibin and brought in new signing Ishan Pandita just before the hour-mark in search of an equalizer. Prabir Das was also replaced by Jeakson Singh and later also got in Saurav Mandal for Danish. Bibiano responded by bringing in Lalremtluanga Fanai in place of Beckey and in the final quarter rested Edmund and Ricky Meetei to bring in fresh legs in Lalpekhlua and Thokchom Singh.
But the substitution that made the difference for Kerala was that of Md. Aimen, one of the most talented Indian footballers today. Luna had the ball on the left flank and Aimen approached him in front of the BFC box. Having received the ball he turned and made a dart inside and with a marker in front of him, lifted his head and placed the ball neatly past a diving Amrit and the far post. It was the best of the match.
The Blasters then lost defender Hormipam a minute later when he brought down another sub Monirul Molla, who had a clear path towards goal. It was a second bookable offence.
Even after having to play the last 15 mins (there were eight minutes added) or so with 10-men, it was the Blasters who had the best chance to win, when Pritam Kotal in the fifth minute of added time, failed to keep a header from close range on target with only the keeper to beat.
Source: Army Authorities
