ISL Season 5: Krcmarevic own goal ends Blasters unbeaten run
The frustration was high as top names of both the teams kept missing chances with halfhearted tries.
The frustration was high as top names of both the teams kept missing chances with halfhearted tries.
The frustration was high as top names of both the teams kept missing chances with halfhearted tries.
Kochi: Kerala Blasters gave away the match to Bengaluru FC in a heartbreaking fashion when a superb clearance from Naveen Kumar went into the net deflected off Nikola Krcmarevic in the Indian Super League match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday. Bengaluru won the match 2-1.
In the second half that looked like a graveyard of missed chances on both the ends, Miku crafted one for Bengaluru in the 80th minute. Xisco Hernandez's close range from Miku's through pass was destroyed by Naveen's brave effort, but his clearance could not avert the disaster. The ball deflected off Krcmarevic and went back into Blasters' net giving the visitors a much wanted lead.
The frustration was high as top names of both the teams kept missing chances with halfhearted tries. C K Vineeth picked up a yellow for a brawl with Albert Serran shortly after spoiling a real chance to put the Blasters ahead in the 77th minute. If Vineeth could decide a split second before on what to do with a perfect pass from Prasanth K, the outcome of the match could have been different. He failed to choose between the net and his teammate Holicharan Narzary and sent the ball beyond the far post.
Before a power failure stretched half-time break, Blasters bounced from a goal down to hold Bengaluru 1-1 after Slavisla Stojanovic canceled off Indian ace Sunil Chhetri's early goal through a penalty in the 30th minute. As usual, Bengaluru's play was spearheaded by Miku and Chhetri. The understanding between the duo was on full display when the Venezuelan set up a leading pass for Chhetri from the middle. The Indian forward who was clearly offside, out ran the Blasters defence to send the ball past Naveen to give Carles Cuadrat's side a 0-1 lead. As the stadium went silent in disbelief, Kerala players were seen appealing for an offside, which was never there.
Minutes later Prasanth brought Kerala to the brink, but failed to find the equalizer. In the 21st minute, Prasanth powered a cross from the right but Seiminlen Doungel crashed it on the side net after a sliding Stojanovic missed to give it the direction. A minute later, the Kerala midfielder was once again in the focus, this time with a left foot driller that was saved brilliantly by Bengaluru custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
However, in the 28th minute, Kerala lad Sahal Samad won a penalty when he was brought down inside the box by Bengaluru defence. Stojanovic knew what he had to do to get past Sandhu and went for the top of the net. The ball stayed in despite hitting the bar and Blasters leveled it before going in for the break.
Unlike the earlier matches, David James' Kerala kept trying set piece moves driven by long passes against Bengaluru. Captain Sandesh Jhingan and Doungel, who was in the thick of action for Kerala from the word go, teamed up to test it out. In the dying minutes of the first half, Doungel came close to putting Kerala in lead twice with longrangers that were on target. Doungel was later substituted after sustaining a knee injury in the second half.
The win put Bengaluru at the top of the table with 13 points, two points clear of Jamshedpur FC and Northeast United FC. Kerala stays stuck in the sixth position with 7 points from 6 fixtures. Kerala and Bengaluru will face Goa in their next match, Yellow Brigade will face them on Sunday and The Blues will face them on November 22.