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Kerala Blasters FC cruised to a convincing victory on Saturday against Chennaiyin FC as they put three goals past them at the Tilak Maidan in Goa.
The first half saw both teams miss a flurry of chances as the scoreline remained unchanged at half-time. However, Kerala Blasters FC were a different and better side after the break as they came back strong.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz scored the opener for the Men in Yellow and doubled the lead a few minutes back. Adrian Luna sealed the game for his team in the 90th minute as he scored from a free-kick to score the third goal of the night.
Chennaiyin FC were inflicted with further misery as their season continues to go downwards. They slipped to 8th place on the ISL table with 20 points from 19 matches after crashing out of the race for the top 4.
On that note, let’s take a look at the top four things we learned from the encounter.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz redeems himself with a brace
The first half of the match was forgettable for Kerala Blasters' centre-forward Jorge Pereyra Diaz as he failed to open the scoring for his side. In the 38th minute, the Argentine missed from the front of an open net as he could not connect properly with Alvaro Vasquez's perfect cross.
In the second half, Diaz bounced back and got his name on the scoresheet twice. He pounced on the ball quickly on both occasions and made no mistake in sending the ball past the goalkeeper.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz now has six goals and two assists in the ISL 2021-22.
Chennaiyin FC punished for poor finishing
Chennaiyin FC only had themselves to blame for the loss after they squandered a number of opportunities to score. The Chennaiyin FC attack missed a lot of chances in front of goal, especially Indian forward Joby Justin, who had as many as three opportunities to score his first goal for the team.
In the second half, their opponents reacted positively and put three goals past their defense. Had the finishing been on point in the first 45 minutes of the match, Chennaiyin FC could have knocked the Blasters out of the game. Although three points wouldn't have made a huge difference to the Marina Machans' dismal season, it could have lifted the mood of the players as well as the fans during a tough time.
Adrian Luna scores yet another long-range goal
Adrian Luna has caught the attention of ISL viewers with his knack for long-rangers and the Uruguayan continued to do the same against Chennaiyin FC.
With the clock ticking down and the Blasters two goals up, a victory was imminent for Ivan Vukomanovic's men. In the 90th minute of the match, a freekick was awarded to the home side and Adrian Luna stepped up to take the kick.
He went for glory and a slight deflection off Nerijus Valskis worked things out in favor of Kerala Blasters FC. The Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Vishal Kaith was left guessing as the ball changed path and went into the goal.
Kerala Blasters FC stay in hunt for the semi-final
The ongoing season has been a revelation for Kerala Blasters FC after years of disappointment. With 30 points from 18 matches, they sit 5th in the table with a shot at reaching the ISL semi-finals after a long wait of six years.
Defending champions Mumbai City FC defeated FC Goa to stay above the Blasters with a lead of a solitary point. However, both sides will meet each other next week in a match which will give the winner a ticket to the playoffs. The stakes will be high for both teams as they will set out on the task of eliminating the other from the race for the top 4.
A loss against Chennaiyin FC would have made things difficult for Kerala Blasters, and hence the team knows the importance of the three points they earned on Saturday.
