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The hosts Kerala Blasters FC took down East Bengal FC with an electrifying comeback by 2-1 to win their first game of the 2024-25 Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Though East Bengal drew the first blood the Blasters paved the way to come from behind scoring 2 goals to put three points in the pocket. East Bengal FC faces a second consecutive defeat this season.
Shared Dominance from Both Teams in the First Half
Though Kerala Blasters had a boastful start in the opening quarter, East Bengal gradually increased their commanding presence in the game. Both teams were up and running quickly and the ball was rolling down to both halves. Kerala Blasters showcased some swift efforts as well as East Bengal but both the teams have remained unsuccessful in finding the breakthrough. Both the teams fought neck to neck as Kerala ended the first half with 51% ball possession and East Bengal ended with 49% of the same.
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Series of Wasted Opportunities
Though East Bengal created better chances in the first half right from the opening minutes they failed to convert those opportunities into a goal. In the 18th minute, Mark Zothanpuia delivered a beautiful cross from the left but Nandha Kumar could not make it count as KBFC Keeper Sachin pushed the ball wide and Drincic man-marked Madih Talal following that, who also could not convert the second ball.
East Bengal wasted their best chance in the 44th minute when Mark Zothanpuia made a cross but Diamantakos failed to connect from a very close distance and Madih Talal also could not find the ball and Sachin ended the looming threat.
On the other hand, Jesus Jimenez pulled the trigger for Kerala Blasters in the 8th minute from the left but his curling effort touched the wrong side of the net. Rahul KP who dominated the right wing for Kerala initiated some crosses from the right, but poor positioning from his teammates in the opening minutes led them to remain unfruitful.
But also it was Rahul himself who missed the best scoring opportunity for the Blasters in the 38th minute. He was unmarked and received a brilliant cross from the right but miss-timed the header and it went just wide off the target.
Commendable Defence from Both Teams
The Partner-in-crimes pair who featured for Mohun Bagan SG last year; Hector Yuste and Anwar Ali held their ground strongly against Kerala's attacks in the first half. Mark Zothanpuia kept running up and down the left wing and he continually remained a serious threat to Kerala's defence with his vicious crosses. Milos Drincic led the Kerala Blasters in defence along with Pritam Kotal whereas Goal Keeper Sachin Suresh displayed an appreciable presence in guarding the goal for Kerala in the first 45 minutes.
PV Vishnu Broke the Dead-lock for East Bengal FC
East Bengal Coach Carlos Cuadrat took off Naorem Mahesh Singh in the 57th minute and PV Vishnu made his way to the pitch. Vishnu paid off his coach's trust in him by having the deadlock broken in the 59th minute, only two minutes after he was subbed on. Nandha Kumar won the duel in midfield and passed the ball to Diamantakos who swiftly made an easy minus to an open Vishnu in front of the opponent's goal and Vishnu made no mistake in tapping the ball into the goal! East Bengal went 1-0 up.
Pure Vishnu magic! 🎩
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) September 22, 2024
Catch the LIVE action of #KBFCEBFC NOW on #JioCinema and #Sports18-3! 👈#ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 #JioCinemaSports #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/psCHE1oRmf
Noah Sadaoui Pulls off a Blazing Equalizer
After East Bengal went up having a 1-0 lead, it was Noah Sadaoui who took the matter into his own hands and fooled the opponent's defense with his magic touches and equalized the game for Kerala in the 63rd minute. Noah Sadaoui showcased his brilliance as he danced through the East Bengal defense with his touches inside-out and opened the front of the goal before he beat EBFC Keeper Prabhsukhan Gill with a powerful and grounded strike!
𝐍⚽𝐀𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 🔥
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) September 22, 2024
He scores the equalizer to bring the #KeralaBlasters, back into the game.#ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 #JioCinemaSports #LetsFootball #KBFCEBFC pic.twitter.com/3qak2mGqzo
Kwame Peprah wins it for the Blasters
Kerala's coveted winner came in the 88th minute with Kwame Peprah's strike ending up in East Bengal's goal. After getting the ball from Mohammad Aimen who won the ball in a duel in front of the opponent's box, Peprah ensured Kerala's command over the scoreline with a left-footed strike. It was the most important lead that gave Kerala a 2-1 advantage and Kerala's defense did their job well for the final minutes.
Kwame Peprah hammers home the winner for #KBFC 💥#ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 #JioCinemaSports #LetsFootball #KBFCEBFC pic.twitter.com/eqhhMamhL8
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) September 22, 2024
Final Whistle Blows
Kerala Blasters FC ensured three points and their first win of the 2024-25 season. They climbed to the 5th position on the league table whereas East Bengal FC lost their second consecutive match this season. It was a dramatic showdown between the two teams with both teams playing well, creating many chances and standing tall in defense. Though East Bengal gave a tough fight, the home side emerged victorious in front of their roaring fans.
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Man of the Match: Noah Sadaoui
Kerala's forward Noah Sadaoui was the obvious choice for the Man of the Match Award in the showdown against East Bengal because of his significant display with the all-important equalizer that gifted a lifeline to his team. Sadaoui made 58 touches and also made 28 accurate passes with a success rate of 78%.
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Next Up for Kerala Blasters FC and East Bengal FC
Kerala Blasters FC will take the field for their first away game of the season in the hills against NorthEast United FC, scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on 29th September 2024. East Bengal FC will look to earn their first point against FC Goa in their first home game at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on 27th September 2024.
Brief Scores:
Kerala Blasters FC: 2 (Noah Sadaoui 63', Kwame Peprah 88')
East Bengal FC: 1 (PV Vishnu 59')
