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KOLKATA — The 2019 champions Gokulam Kerala overcame state-rivals Kerala Blasters 4-3 in a derby clash in a seven-goal slugfest in a Group C match of the 132nd Durand Cup at the Mohun Bagan ground here on Sunday.
Four goals were scored in the first half and three in the second as Gokulam clinched their second straight victory in as many games to go on top of the group. For Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters, this was their first game in the group and they will now be looking to win their remaining two games, to remain in contention.
Bouba Aminou in the 17th minute, Sreekuttan 43rd, Alex Sanchez 45+1 and Abhijith 47th minute scored for Gokulam while Emmanuel Justine 34th minute, Prabir 54th and Luna 77th minute were successful for Kerala Blasters.
Belgian Frank Dauwen was in charge of the Blasters on the day and chose to keep players like Danish Farooq, Rahul KP and Hormipam on the bench to begin with. Domingo Oramas, Gokulam’s Spanish coach fielded more or less the same set of players in a familiar 4-4-2 formation with Sreekuttan and Alex Sanchez the two men up front.
Although it was the Manjapaddas who looked the more dangerous in the first half on set pieces, it was the Malabarians who scored first from one, just past the quarter of an hour mark.
Basit Bhat, who has been impressive in this tournament, won the corner after his long-ranger took a touch off a Blasters defender and deflected away from the goal. Spaniard Nili Perdomo curled the right-footer in for Cameroonian captain Bouba Aminou to use his height and soar above Jeakson Singh and turn the header into the top left corner.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]The Blasters were stunned and responded with urgency. Seven minutes later young 20-year-old Nigerian striker Emmanuel Justine, turned a similar header from an Adrian Luna corner above the crossbar. Then Luna missed from about six inches wide.
Finally, off a Luna free-kick which Gokulam keeper Zothanmawia fisted back towards the six-yard box, Naocha’s header on the rebound hit the bar and came back into play again. In the melee which ensued, Justine did well to muscle the ball in for his first goal for his new club.
The Manjapaddas' joy was short-lived though as Perdomo put through Alex Sanchez inside the Blasters box, three minutes ahead of the regulation first 45.
The Spaniard drove in and cut back towards the far post, where Sreekuttan did well to balance himself perfectly and direct a header into the goal. It was the second quality goal from him in the tournament in as many successful attempts.
Then in the first minute of added time, a similar ball for Alex by Perdomo, saw him fend off his marker Naocha Singh and get a lucky touch ahead of him and an onrushing keeper Sachin Suresh, as the ball hit the keeper’s gloves and trickled in for Gokulam’s third.
No let-up in goals in the second
The break did nothing to stop the goal rush and Abhijith this time, put Sreekuttan’s strike in the first game against the Air Force into oblivion with a thunderbolt just two minutes into the second half. Alex got his second assist after a galloping run to the box, whereafter he withdrew and laid it on the square for Abhijith. The 26-year-old central midfielder put his laces through the ball, bulging the right top-corner of Sachin’s goal for Gokulam’s fourth.
But the Blasters did not give up and continued to fight in the derby clash.
The sixth goal of the game was scored by Prabir Das, after a dazzling and penetrating foray by Md. Aimen took out two defenders and then finally the goalkeeper with his dink back into the box. Prabir who had followed up on the far post, made no mistake with the finish.
Then Adrian Luna made it a one-goal game again, after a few minutes of inspiring play by substitute Bidhyasagar Singh. After he had missed a sitter, the 25-year-old Manipuri striker embarked on a solo run and put through Aimen once more on the left. The young midfielder put it in the box where after a couple of defections it fell for the Uruguayan who blasted it in.
However, try as the Blasters might in the final 10-plus minutes, it was Gokulam’s day as they pulled off a memorable 4-3 derby victory.