ISL 2017: Kerala Blasters fans allegedly throw missiles at Bengaluru FC dugout during match
What's the Story?
In a high-voltage New Year's Eve fixture, Kerala Blasters welcomed Bengaluru FC to the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, where the away side stole an injury-time victory against their hosts.
Bengaluru FC started as favorites and ended up winning by a comfortable scoreline of 3-1. However, not all looked hunky-dory for the Blues, as a section of the Kochi crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium had allegedly hurled missiles at the Bengaluru FC players and staff during the dying minutes of the match.
In case you didn't know...
The match between KBFC and BFC was the first match this season which saw 3 or more goals being scored in stoppage time, when Blues' striker Miku scored a quick brace to hand the away side the win.
Heart of the Matter
While it was a close match between the two South Indian rivals, the drama ensued late in stoppage time as BFC stole a march over their rivals, essentially securing the three points after Sunil Chhetri put them in the lead via a second-half penalty.
Unhappy with this two late goals, the home fans were said to have thrown objects at the Bengaluru players and staff, a Bengaluru FC official said to Sportskeeda.
Fortunately, though, nobody was hurt in the incident, as most of the missiles hurled at them fell short. Security personnel present in the area soon rushed in to diffuse the situation.
What's Next?
While this marks yet another incident of fan fury in the ISL, it remains to be seen whether the tournament organisers will take a look into the matter. Previous instances of such violations have resulted in successive matches being played behind closed doors in the world of football.
Author's Take
Incidents like these must be stamped out from the beautiful game, and the authorities must launch an inquiry and take necessary measures against the guilty parties. While winning and losing is a part of the game, maintaining sportsman spirit is very important.