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Kerala Blasters earned a narrow 1-0 victory over defending Indian Super League (ISL) champions Hyderabad FC at the Gachibowli Stadium in Telangana on Saturday (November 19).
Hyderabad went into the clash looking to take their unbeaten run in the ISL this season to seven matches. Kerala Blasters, on the other hand, were determined to build on their two-game winning run.
The Yellow Army emerged victorious in the end, with the Nizams being handed their first defeat of the campaign. Dimitrios Diamantakos's first-half goal saw the visitors claim the three points.
Here are three things we learned from the match that saw Kerala Blasters go third in the ISL table.
#1 Kerala Blasters get in the groove after shaky start to the season
Kerala Blasters got their 2022-23 ISL campaign off to a winning start, beating East Bengal FC 3-1 at home. However, they then went on to lose three games on the bounce, conceding nine goals in the process.
The Yellow Army appeared to have lost the edge that saw them reach the ISL final last term. It was evident that Ivan Vukomanovic needed to tweak a few things to prevent his team from getting into a losing habit, and he did exactly that.
Vukomanovic notably changed his full-backs, with Sandeep Singh and Nishu Kumar coming in for Harmanjot Khabra and Jessel Carneiro. He also largely favored compactness over the intense pressing his teams are used to against FC Goa and Hyderabad.
The Serbian has certainly reaped the rewards for his changes as Kerala Blasters have now won three games on the trot. The Kochi outfit have also conceded just one goal in their last three matches.
Kerala Blasters now sit third in the ISL table with 12 points from seven matches thus far. They will be determined to take their winning run to four games when they face last season's shield-winner Jamshedpur on December 3.
#2 Hyderabad stay true to coach Manolo Marquez's words
![Hyderabad pushed Kerala Blasters back in the second half [Credits: ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/11/50699-16688778476685-1920.jpg)
Hyderabad won their first ISL title last term and picked up right where they left off this season. They went on an unbeaten run in their first six matches this campaign, winning five and drawing one of those games.
The Nizams' positive start to the season rightfully earned them a place at the top of the ISL table. They also notably went into their match against Kerala Blasters, having kept five clean sheets in a row.
However, the Yellow Army finally found a way past Hyderabad's defense and ended their unbeaten run on Saturday. Nizams boss Manolo Marquez, though, was almost proven right by his players.
Speaking ahead of the match, Marquez insisted that he was pleased with Hyderabad's ability to react when they go behind. He claimed that this was better than their ability to keep clean sheets. The hosts showed exactly what the Spaniard meant as they plotted a comeback after conceding in the first half.
The reigning champions pushed the visitors back as they searched for an equalizer in the second half. They dominated possession by a good margin and even took a total of 16 shots in the match.
Despite several heart-in-mouth moments for Vukomanovic's men, Hyderabad were restricted to just one shot on target. They failed to find the back of the net. Marquez, though, will be pleased with the team's attitude, which will stand them in good stead going forward.
#3 Foreigners impress for Kerala Blasters once again
Diamantakos, who failed to score in his first four ISL matches, scored the winner for Kerala Blasters against Hyderabad. The Greek striker has now scored in each of their last three games.
The 29-year-old finally seems to be at home with the Yellow Army after making a slow start to his life in India. Although he was forced off the pitch due to an injury in the first half, Vukomanovic will be pleased with his display.
Meanwhile, Ivan Kaliyuzhnyi impressed in the middle of the park for the Kochi-based club once again. The Ukrainian did not produce one of his trademark stunners against Hyderabad. However, he bossed the midfield and deservingly won the Hero of the March award.
Adrian Luna's footprint is unlikely to be found in the match timeline, but it was his creative brilliance that paved the way for Diamantakos's winner. Marko Leskovic, on the other hand, produced a composed performance at the back and helped the team keep their second clean sheet in three matches.
The foreigners are not the only players that impressed for the visitors against Hyderabad, though. Local boy Rahul KP produced yet another impressive display, often helping Sandeep out in defense.
