Bhubaneswar, 20th April 2025: Kerala Blasters stormed into the quarterfinals of the Kalinga Super Cup after a commanding 2-0 victory over reigning champions East Bengal FC. Under the guidance of new Spanish head coach David Català, the Blasters kicked off a fresh chapter with an impressive win at the Kalinga Stadium in Odisha’s capital.
Jesus Jimenez opened the scoring in the 40th minute through a penalty, while Noah Sadaoui doubled the lead in the 64th minute with a sensational solo effort. Kerala Blasters will now face ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the quarterfinals scheduled for April 26.
Coach David Català’s debut saw a balanced blend of youth and experience. Sachin Suresh started in goal, backed by a defensive line comprising Hormipam Ruivah, Milos Drincic, Bikash Yumnam, and Dusan Lagator. In midfield, Vibin Mohanan partnered Danish Farooq, with captain Adrian Luna taking on an even more central and flexible role. Wide areas were occupied by Noah Sadaoui and Naocha Singh, while Jesus Jimenez led the attack.
East Bengal FC fielded Prabhsukhan Singh Gill as their goalkeeper, with defenders Anwar Ali, Lalchungnunga, and Mohammad Rakip. The midfield and attack included Hector Yuste, Jixon Singh, Richard Celis, Dimitrios Diamantakos, Rafael Messi Bouli, Mahesh Singh, and Malayali youngster P. Vishnu.
Kerala Blasters started brightly, creating several opportunities early on. In the second minute, Noah Sadaoui’s cross from the right found Jimenez, who failed to capitalize. Another brilliant cross from Noah in the 19th minute gave Danish Farooq a chance, but he too missed. Despite East Bengal FC’s attempts to counter, Blasters’ defense held firm.
In the 38th minute, Kerala Blasters earned a crucial penalty when Anwar Ali’s challenge brought down Noah inside the box. Although Jimenez missed the first attempt, the referee ordered a retake due to technical infringement, and Jimenez made no mistake the second time, firing Blasters into the lead.
The second half saw Iban Dohling replace Hormipam as the Blasters looked to solidify their advantage. Although Jimenez found the back of the net again in the 56th minute, it was ruled out for offside. Soon after, an injury to captain Adrian Luna forced him off, with Freddy coming on as his replacement.
The decisive second goal came in the 64th minute. Noah Sadaoui picked up a pass from Iban Dohling, dribbled past two defenders, and smashed a powerful shot past Gill to make it 2-0. His stellar performance throughout the match was finally rewarded.
Blasters continued to ring in changes, bringing on Kwame Peprah for Jimenez and Malayali youngster Muhammed Saheef for Danish Farooq. Noah once again found the net in the 74th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Later, MS Sreekuttan replaced Vibin Mohanan to add fresh legs.
Kerala Blasters maintained a compact defensive structure until the final whistle, ensuring East Bengal FC could not mount a comeback. With this emphatic win, the Blasters advance confidently into the quarterfinals, setting up an exciting clash against Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
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