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It was an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium between Kerala Blasters FC and NorthEast United FC in Kochi on Saturday, October 21. The Highlanders took the lead early in the first half through Nestor Albiach, but his goal was canceled out by Danish Farooq, resulting in both teams earning a single point.
The Blasters were forced to make several changes due to injuries and suspensions. But, they were the favorites going into the game, thanks to their squad depth and unwavering support of their passionate home crowd.
After a frantic start, it was NorthEast United who managed to secure a surprising lead within the first 10 minutes. The ball kindly fell to Nestor Albiach after a well-worked move, who wriggled past the Blasters’ center-backs before calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net.
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The Blasters bounced back after the initial setback and began dominating the proceedings. Unfortunate near-misses followed as Daisuke Sakai and the debutant Naocha Singh both saw their efforts ricochet off the post and evade danger.
The likes of Dimitrios Diamantakos and Kwame Peprah posed huge problems for NorthEast United defense. Peprah even had a penalty appeal denied by the referee. However, replays showed that Mohammed Bemamer had indeed pulled Peprah back inside the penalty box, with the referee failing to spot it.
As the first half drew to a close, the hosts managed to create several half-chances. But the NorthEast United defense stood firm and went into the break with a slender lead.
Kerala Blasters FC stage a second-half comeback to secure a draw
Kerala Blasters started the second half from where they left off, but this time, they managed to find the back of the net in the 49th minute. A remarkable set-piece delivery from Adrian Luna met the run of Danish Farooq, who expertly directed his header into the goal to level the proceedings.
Following the goal, the Blasters maintained their dominance in possession and territory, but they struggled to generate clear-cut scoring opportunities, while the Highlanders remained resolute in their defensive efforts, particularly within the penalty box.
On the flip side, NorthEast United posed a threat on the counter-attack, with Bemmamer and Jithin MS coming close to scoring. Nevertheless, scoring opportunities were at a premium for both sides. The game largely unfolded in a cagey fashion, with fouls in midfield frequently interrupting the flow of play.
The game ended with a scoreline of 1-1, with both sides having just one shot on target, which certainly illustrated the story of the game.
Juan Pedro Benali will be the happiest of the coaches with the point, and his team remain fifth in the table with five points to their name. Kerala Blasters, on the other hand, have secured seven points and are one place above NorthEast United.
