Kochi: It was the perfect return for C K Vineeth as his flying header gave Kerala Blasters their first win of ISL Season 4 here Friday night. The Kerala striker, who missed the previous game against FC Goa with a suspension, provided the spark as Blasters beat 10-man NorthEast United 1-0.
Vineeth broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. His powerful header off a Rino Anto cross beat NorthEast goalkeeper T P Rehenesh hands down much to the delight of Blasters fans and co-owner Sachin Tendulkar.
Keralite Rehenesh was red carded in the 42nd as he brought down an onrushing Mark Sifneos just outside the penalty area. NorthEast coach Joao de Deus was forced to take off striker Holicharan Narzary and bring in reserve goalkeeper Ravi Kumar.
The numerical advantage spurred on Blasters and midfielder Courage Pekuson hogged the limelight with his daring runs in the early moments of the second half.
An umarked Jackichand Singh failed to hit the target off a corner kick by Vineeth in the 50th as Blasters squandered a gilt-edged chance.
Blasters, knowing very well the importance of a second goal, kept on on attacking and Lalruatthara was unlucky to denied by the post in the 57th.
Danilo Lopes made a solo run to the Blasters penalty area in the 69th, but Sandesh Jhingan was equal to the task.
Lopes had a golden chance to restore parity a couple of moments later. The Brazilian, however, came second best to Rino.
Tempers frayed as NorthEast's Martin Diaz kicked Pekuson. Uruguyan defender Diaz was lucky to escape with only a booking.
Blasters goalkeeper Paul Rachubka did well in the 85th to parry away a shot by Seiminlen Doungel as the visitors mounted pressure.
The win lifted Blasters to seventh spot, with six points from five matches. NorthEast remained on four points from five games and slipped to eighth place.
Early pressure
NorthEast had started off well and Marcio Junior's shot from the penalty area was blocked by Rachubka in the fourth minute.
NorthEast wasted another promising move when Narzary blasted one wide from the edge of the box in the seventh minute.
Englishman Wes Brown, who made his ISL debut, delivered a couple of decent passes, but Blasters could not make them count.
Blasters had their first real chacnce in the 15th minute when Pekuson picked out Sifneos with a fine ball. But the Dutch striker could not control his shot. Couple of minutes later Vineeth was thwarted by an alert NorthEast defender Nirmal Chetri.
Lopes's shot from inside the box was kept kept out for a corner kick in the 19th as Blasters heaved a sigh of relief.
However, Vineeth's goal and Rehenesh's sent off swung the game decisively in Blasters favor.
Blasters next meet Chennaiyin FC in an away tie on December 22.