Both teams had a fair deal of chances but it was Vazquez and Prasanth Karuthadathkuni who scored the decisive goals to clinch the points for Kerala.
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Kerala Blasters got their first win of the Hero Indian Super League season, defeating Odisha FC 2-1 at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, Goa on Sunday. Both teams had a fair deal of chances but it was Vazquez (62’) and Prasanth Karuthadathkuni (85’) who scored the decisive goals to clinch the points for Kerala Blasters. Nikhil Raj (90+4’) grabbed a late consolation for Odisha FC. Ivan Vukomanovic’s men started the game on a positive note, dominating the possession and closing down Odisha FC every time they had the ball back. Kiko Ramirez’s men who came into the game with a perfect record struggled to get a foothold in the game.
The Blasters though couldn’t create too many clear-cut chances despite bossing the game in the opening 20 minutes and were almost made to pay for it five minutes later. Javi Hernandez, who won Hero of the Month ahead of the match, almost found the net from the half-way line as he tried to catch goalkeeper Albino Gomes out. The effort landed on the roof of the net as Gomes got off the hook.
? as a ?@prasanth2406 held his nerve in front of goal and produced a calm finish for @KeralaBlasters ?#KBFCOFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/dVrTR4URIb
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) December 5, 2021
Hernandez had two more chances to put his team ahead. He received a pass on the edge of the area and fired it over the bar. Later, when he went through on goal much to the surprise of the Kerala Blasters defenders as the referee allowed the play to go on even as the linesman raised the flag for offside. Hernandez fired his shot at goal which was kept out by Gomes. On the rebound, Odisha were not able to convert the chance. The half that was dominated by the Blasters was level at the break despite some good chances falling in Odisha FC’s way.
Ramirez replaced Isak Vanlalruatfela with Isaac Chhakchhuak for the second half but it was Blasters who created the first opening thanks to Sahal Abdul Samad. He went on a typical mazy run that allowed him to find Adrian Luna in space who blazed his effort just over in the 50th minute. The Blasters’ domination with the ball was finally rewarded in the 62nd minute when Vazquez beat a disjointed offside trap by Odisha FC to run clear on goal. He rounded the goalkeeper before putting the ball into an empty net.
Vazquez then almost doubled the lead three minutes later but his shot from close range was saved with an outstretched leg by Kamaljit Singh as Odisha FC stayed in the match. The Blasters lost goalkeeper Gomes to an injury in the 76th minute and was replaced by Prabhsukhan Gill but it didn’t affect Vukomanovic’s men, as they doubled their lead soon. Luna collected the ball in midfield and ran at the heart of the Odisha FC midfield before finding Prasanth with a through ball. The youngster smashed the ball past Kamaljit to make it 2-0 five minutes from time.
Odisha FC pulled one back in the dying seconds of the game as Nikhil Raj halved the deficit. However, it was too little too late as Blasters secured the points. The win lifted the Blasters to sixth place in the table while Odisha FC stayed in third spot. Kerala Blasters will now face SC East Bengal next Sunday while Odisha FC take on NorthEast United in their next match on Friday.
