ISL 2017, Match 36: Kerala Blasters vs Bengaluru FC, Talking points
Bengaluru FC took home the spoils in this big Southern Derby on New Year's Eve in Kochi. In front of the boisterous Manjapadda, Albert Roca's men put in a good showing as they outplayed the hosts to emerge with a 3-1 win. It arrested their slump after they'd suffered losses in their two previous games. For the Blasters, it was another frustrating outing at home.
Here's what stood out from the game:
Udanta starts
Ahead of the game, Bengaluru FC included their young winger Udanta Singh in a list of players that would not feature today. He was said to be suffering from an ankle problem.
The India winger did feature though as he was part of the Bengaluru starting XI. Whether it was a last minute decision that deemed him fit enough to go or if it was a bit of a cat-and-mouse game from Bengaluru, no one knows, but it was quite intriguing all the same.
Neither of the other players made it though - defender John Johnson and midfielder Braulio Nobrega - did not make the matchday squad.