Kerala Blasters FC vs NorthEast United FC: Who won yesterday's ISL 2021-22 match?

Kerala Blasters FC picked up a crucial 2-1 victory over NorthEast United FC in the ISL last night (February 4).

Jose Pereyra Diaz opened the scoring for the Tuskers with a 62nd-minute header before Alvaro Vazquez spectacularly scored from his own half to make it 2-0. Mohammed Irshad got a late consolation for the Highlanders.

NorthEast United started the game well, switching the ball between their midfielders and moving away from the Kerala Blasters' challenges. But it was Ivan Vukomanovic's side that caused the first real moment of panic in the opposition box.

Some fantastic dribbling from Ayush Adhikari was followed by a defense-splitting pass to Abdul Samad. However, Samad's attempted chip into the box for Jose Diaz was too high and went out for a goal-kick.

The Highlanders then had a chance of their own when Joe Zoherliana found VP Suhair with an excellent cross. Suhair chested it down and struck the ball on the half-volley but it just whistled over the crossbar.

The Kerala Blasters grew in stature after that, quickly making their presence felt. They got in and around the box multiple times but NorthEast United dropped back in numbers to keep them out. Neither side could create many clear-cut opportunities in the first half an hour, often being limited to pops from distance.

Arguably the best moment of the half came in the 40th minute when Suhair sent a peach of a pass with the outside of his boot. However, the pass evaded the diving Marco Sahanek by only a toe-nail's length. Barely seconds later, Adrian Luna sent in a corner that was attacked at the near post by Jeakson Singh. However, his header shaved the crossbar and went behind.

With that, a closely-contested first half, which didn't have much goalmouth action, came to an end with the score at 0-0.

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Vazquez's stunner confirms Kerala Blasters win, adds to NorthEast United's misery

NorthEast United began the second half well and got the first real chance of the period when Hernan Santana was fouled outside the box. However, the resulting set-piece was placed wide of Prabhsukhan Gill's post.

The Kerala Blasters responded through Vazquez, who hit a spontaneous first-time volley from well outside the box on the turn that went just wide. Diaz then received a chance in the box but his shot was blocked brilliantly by Mashoor Shereef before Vazquez, put in by Samad, forced a save from Subhasish Roy.

Harmanjot Khabra then sent an absolute peach of a cross from the right. Luna met it in the box but his header went just inches wide. But the Blasters found their goal in the 62nd minute. A dangerous crossfield ball from Nishu Kumar found Khabra at the far post and he nodded it back into the box for Diaz, who buried his header into the back of the net.

The Kerala Blasters then had a problem on their hands about nine minutes later. Adhikari, who had already been cautioned, made a challenge on Santana and seemed to step on the NorthEast United midfielder's foot. The referee deemed it a serious enough foul and gave Adhikari his marching orders.

NorthEast United seemed to be in the ascendancy due to the man advantage, but were made to pay for not utilizing it to its full potential in the 82nd minute. Shereef cheaply gave the ball away to Vazquez, who took a couple of touches and unleashed an absolutely incredible shot from behind the half-way line.

The effort from long, long range caught out Roy, who was left sprawling on the turf as the ball went wide of him and bounced into the back of the net. It was a simply stunning goal that just took your breath away with its quality and spontaneity and is easily the frontrunner for the Goal of the Season award.

Aiming to capitalize on their two-goal cushion, the Kerala Blasters continued to push forward as Khabra forced Roy into action with a near-post header from Luna's corner. Vukomanovic's side also kept the ball well and defended deep to stop the Highlanders from making any real progress.

However, they couldn't take home a deserved clean sheet after a lapse in concentration in the fifth minute of added time. Santana was allowed to run to the box from the halfway line and set up Irshad, who whipped in a first-time effort from the edge of the area. The shot was perfectly placed into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.

But there was no time for NorthEast United to do anything else as they fell to their 10th defeat of the ongoing season. They stayed rock-bottom in the ISL while the Kerala Blasters jumped up to second place.