Crislan’s stoppage-time header seals Gokulam Kerala’s dramatic 3-2 victory after Samaleswari fight back from two goals down.
Gokulam Kerala looked set for a comfortable victory after taking a 2-0 lead against Samaleswari, but things got rather complicated in the second half. An own goal brought the visitors back into the contest before Jorge Pereyra Díaz levelled the score from the penalty spot in the 90th minute. Just when a draw seemed likely, Crislan came to Gokulam Kerala’s rescue with a header in the eighth minute of added time, handing his side a dramatic 3-2 win in the Indian Football Leage
Gokulam Kerala make early moves
Gokulam did not take long to find their feet. They took the lead in the 15th minute when Crislan finished with his right foot, making the most of Victor da Silva’s assist. The Brazilian forward was involved again in the build-up to Gokulam’s second goal, as the home side continued to put pressure on Samaleswari.
Makan Chothe extended the advantage in the 25th minute with a right-footed finish. At 2-0, Gokulam had every reason to feel comfortable. Samaleswari struggled to create much in the first half and went into the break with plenty to think about.
The visitors made two changes at half-time, bringing on Calvin Baretto and Mohamed El Jaaouani. Gokulam also made adjustments as the game progressed, but the two-goal cushion did not last.
Samaleswari fight back, but Crislan has the last word
The turning point came in the 74th minute, although it was not a goal Samaleswari had to work for. Muhammed Rafi turned the ball into his own net, giving the visitors a lifeline. The score was now 2-1, and the pressure began to shift towards Gokulam.
Samaleswari kept pushing and got their reward in the 90th minute. Jorge Pereyra Díaz stepped up to take a penalty and made no mistake, bringing the score level at 2-2. Having trailed by two goals, the visitors had somehow managed to put themselves in a position to take something away from the match.
Six minutes of added time were announced, but even that was not enough to contain the late drama. In the 90+8th minute, Sachu Siby delivered the ball into the box and Crislan rose above the defence to head it home.
It was a painful finish for Samaleswari, who had worked hard to recover from their poor first half. For Gokulam Kerala, however, Crislan’s late intervention turned what had become a frustrating evening into a winning start to their campaign. The final score read 3-2.
IFL 2026-27 – Gokulam Kerala vs Samaleswari highlights
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