In a dramatic contest at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, the Blasters showcased immense resilience and determination to claim a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Shers. Reduced to nine men by the 74th minute, the Blasters put on a defensive masterclass to secure all three points.
First-Half Drama and Decisive Penalty
The match began with Blasters asserting control, as they tested Punjab’s defensive setup early on. Both teams exchanged blows, but the breakthrough came in the 43rd minute when Noah was fouled by Suresh Meitei inside the box. The referee wasted no time in pointing to the spot.
Noah stepped up and calmly converted the penalty, sending Punjab’s goalkeeper the wrong way to give Kerala Blasters a crucial lead heading into halftime.
Second-Half Resilience
The second half was a true test of Kerala Blasters’ character. In the 57th minute, Milos Drincic received a second yellow card for a tactical foul on Leon, leaving the Blasters to defend their slender lead with ten men. The situation worsened in the 74th minute when Aiban Dohling was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge, reducing Kerala Blasters to just nine players.
Faced with relentless pressure from Punjab, the Blasters held on to their ground, with goalkeeper Sachin Suresh making crucial saves to deny the home side an equaliser. The entire defensive unit performed their best to keep Punjab’s attack at bay.
With this victory, Kerala Blasters FC will look to build momentum for their next match. Blasters will now make a trip back home to face Odisha FC on January 13th.
Staring XI: Sachin Suresh (GK), Aiban Dolhing, Hormipam Ruivah, Milos Drincic, Naocha Singh, Freddy Lallawmawma, Danish Farooq, Korou Singh, Adrian Luna, Kwame Peprah, Noah Sadaoui
Substitution:
60’ Pritam Kotal –> Korou Singh
65’ Noah Sadaoui –> Alexander Coeff
65’ Danish Farooq –> Lalthanmawia Renthlei
Goals:
44’ Noah Sadoui
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