Kerala Blasters FC staged an impressive second-half comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over East Bengal FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi during their Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Sunday.
Playing in front of a spirited home crowd, the Blasters overturned a one-goal deficit with two strikes in the last 30 minutes. Goals from Noah Sadaoui and Kwame Peprah sealed the three points after Vishnu PV had given East Bengal FC the lead.
The first half saw promising chances for both sides, with forwards Jesus Jimenez and Dimitrios Diamantakos coming close to scoring. However, neither could find the back of the net, leaving the scoreline at 0-0 going into halftime.
In the 59th minute, East Bengal broke the deadlock. Kerala Blasters FC defender Sandeep Singh’s clearance was intercepted by Nandhakumar Sekar, who passed to Diamantakos inside the box. Instead of shooting, the Greek striker unselfishly squared the ball to Vishnu PV, who calmly slotted it home to give the visitors the lead.
Kerala Blasters responded quickly, with Sadaoui spearheading the attack. His dynamic footwork and decisive movement led to a well-placed equalizer past goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill in the 63rd minute, bringing the home side back into the game.
The match remained evenly poised, but the Blasters found momentum with the backing of their passionate fans. In the 88th minute, East Bengal’s Anwar Ali miscleared a ball that fell to Mohammed Aimen, who spotted Kwame Peprah in space. Peprah composed himself and delivered a clinical finish to secure a dramatic late win for Mikael Stahre’s side.
Key Player of the Match
Noah Sadaoui (Kerala Blasters FC)
The former FC Goa star had a standout performance, completing 25 out of 30 passes, contributing a tackle, making six crosses, and scoring a brilliant solo goal to level the match.
Upcoming Matches
Kerala Blasters FC will face NorthEast United FC on September 29, while East Bengal will take on FC Goa on September 27 in their next fixture.
