ISL: Atletico de Kolkata play out a 1-1 draw against Kerala Blasters at home; stay on top of the table
Table toppers Atletico de Kolkata took on the Kerala Blasters at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata in what could be called as the match of the missing players. Kolkata were without Luis Garcia who was out with a hamstring injury, Denzel Franco was also missing due to injury and the AIFF had suspended Fikru and coach Antonio Habas for their role in the fracas against FC Goa. Kerala were placed last in the 8 team league and were missing Michael Chopra.
The match was contested very well between the teams and it ended in a 1-1 draw.
Atletico start with a bang
Atletico de Kolkata started brightly against their opponents with the team out for attack from the very first minute. The game was littered with midfield battles with barely any leeway given for any team to build an attack. Kolkata scored from the first clear cut chance in the 22nd minute, when Joffre did brilliantly down the left flank and crossed a low ball into the Kerala penalty box, Borja collected the ball before laying it off to Baljit Sahni. Sahni hit a first time strike, low and hard to beat David James and give Kolkata the lead.
Kolkata had a chance to double the lead when the impressive Joffre crossed the ball from the left for Arnal, who was playing in place of the suspended Fikru but Arnal just shot wide. Joffre had the next chance as he was clean through on goal but his shot was blocked brilliantly, it was all Kolkata in the first half but Kerala still had one last say.
Kerala fight back
Hume was played into the box with a brilliant back heel flick by Milagres before the Canadian flicked the ball over the onrushing Roy Chaudhuri to draw the team level in the 41st minute and that is how the teams ended the first half.
The second half started with Podany coming on for Biswajit Saha for Atletico de Kolkata which signaled a change in formation. A quickly taken free kick by Kolkata in the 52nd minute sent Joffre through again and he sent in another delightful ball into the box with Cavin Lobo smashing the ball but the ball cannoned off the crossbar, keeping the score 1-1.
Kerala dominate
It was Kerala who dominated possession after the hit from Lobo. Hume should have scored when Penn Orji crossed from the right but the Kerala forward headed wide from 6 yards out in the 67th minute. Players from both teams were booked with Hume and Masih getting booked for overzealous challenges.
Kerala had the best opportunity to take the lead when Renedy put in a cross in the 86th minute and the Kolkata goal keeper Roy could not collect the ball due to a collision with Barisic, the ball was heading towards the goal when Kingshuk cleared the ball.
Kolkata could have snatched all the points in the 94th minute when David James rushed to head the ball outside the box and after a lot of pinball the danger was cleared, Kerala held on, just about for their first point in the ISL.
The Kerala Blasters next face FC Pune City while Kolkata have a 10-day break before they take on Chennaiyin FC.