For impatient fans of Atletico de Kolkata, it was a bit of a long wait. Thankfully, after watching their team over two away matches, the 61,237-strong crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday had reason to rejoice as the home side edged out Kerala Blasters 2-1, in a repeat of last season's final.
Perfect start for ATK
The home team took complete control of the game right from the word go. An unfortunate Javi Lara saw his thunderous long ranger rattle the crossbar as early as the 5th minute. However, his team got the lead in the next minute itself. Iain Hume gathered a long ball on the right flank, cut in and unleashed a shot which was straight at the goalkeeper, Stephen Bywater. However, an alert Arata Izumi was at hand to shoot home the rebound giving Atletico de Kolkata the lead within 6 minutes.
For the first 30 minutes, Kerala barely saw the ball, with Kolkata not allowing them any space in midfield, nor allowing them any scope of attacking. Football legend Pele, who was in town after 38 years, would have been impressed
Indeed, the first shot on target from the Kerala Blasters came in the 32nd minute when former Arsenal man Sanchez Watt hit a scuffed shot straight to Juan Calatayud. Mehtab Hossain had a go at goal with a volley from a long distance, but was parried away by the goalkeeper.
Kerala's Rahul Bheke capitalised on a mistake from left back N Mohanraj, just before half-time and tried to play a ball across to Chris Dagnall who had the goal at his mercy. However, the cross failed to find its way to the striker.
That was it for a one-sided first half.
Second half
Pulga was brought in at the start of the second half but Kerala showed no signs of improvement even after the break and were duly punished in the 53rd minute.
It was former Kerala boy Iain Hume who was once again in the thick of things. Javi Lara got on the end of a slick pass from Hume and skipped past a defender to drive a shot through Ramage’s legs. The ball took a slight deflection before ending up in the back of the net, but it was a cool finish to cap off a good move. After his penalty miss on the first night for Kolkata, Lara had amends with a bright performance.
Nothing eventful happened till the 80th minute. Kolkata were satisfied with playing the ball among themselves and allowing Kerala space in their attacks in the midfield, only to cramp them for space once they got near the goal. This was flirting with danger and Kerala certainly made them pay.
Blasters get one back
Peter Ramage chipped a ball into the box, and CK Vineeth, on as a 70th minute substitute for Saumik Dey, and Calatayud both went for the ball. In the ensuing melee, Chris Dagnall got hold of the ball to bundle it into the goal.
That goal spurred a series of Kerala attacks. The very next minute saw Calatayud tipping over a fierce shot on goal by Watt. This was followed by a shot by Vineeth, which went wide. Habas brought on a fresh pair of legs in the form of Valdo who replaced Javi Lara.
It was certainly not a happy return to Kolkata for Mehtab Hossain. He had already picked up a yellow after a series of fouls in the match. In the 90th minute, he recklessly tackled Valdo from behind, an act which earned him a second yellow and the marching orders. Down to ten men, Kerala looked down and out.
Kerala surge forward
But they were not going down without a fight. A late surge saw them earn a few chances right at the end. In the 92nd minute, Dagnall had a shot saved by Calatayud and again in the 94th minute, his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper who was fast becoming a fan favourite.
However, Kolkata managed to hold on to their nerves and to their lead, to take away all three points
The match see-sawed between one-sided Kolkata domination to a fierce Kerala fightback at the end. The match had all the thrills and spills a neutral would love, but the fans at Salt Lake Stadium would have probably preferred a less tense encounter. On the bright side though, the fact that Kolkata now top the table should make up for it.
Kerala showed character in the last 15 minutes but they will need to replicate that throughout the whole 90 minutes to get back to the top. But going by Kolkata’s last three performances, the message seems clear: If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.
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Perfect start for ATK
The home team took complete control of the game right from the word go. An unfortunate Javi Lara saw his thunderous long ranger rattle the crossbar as early as the 5th minute. However, his team got the lead in the next minute itself. Iain Hume gathered a long ball on the right flank, cut in and unleashed a shot which was straight at the goalkeeper, Stephen Bywater. However, an alert Arata Izumi was at hand to shoot home the rebound giving Atletico de Kolkata the lead within 6 minutes.
For the first 30 minutes, Kerala barely saw the ball, with Kolkata not allowing them any space in midfield, nor allowing them any scope of attacking. Football legend Pele, who was in town after 38 years, would have been impressed
Indeed, the first shot on target from the Kerala Blasters came in the 32nd minute when former Arsenal man Sanchez Watt hit a scuffed shot straight to Juan Calatayud. Mehtab Hossain had a go at goal with a volley from a long distance, but was parried away by the goalkeeper.
Kerala's Rahul Bheke capitalised on a mistake from left back N Mohanraj, just before half-time and tried to play a ball across to Chris Dagnall who had the goal at his mercy. However, the cross failed to find its way to the striker.
That was it for a one-sided first half.
Second half
Pulga was brought in at the start of the second half but Kerala showed no signs of improvement even after the break and were duly punished in the 53rd minute.
It was former Kerala boy Iain Hume who was once again in the thick of things. Javi Lara got on the end of a slick pass from Hume and skipped past a defender to drive a shot through Ramage’s legs. The ball took a slight deflection before ending up in the back of the net, but it was a cool finish to cap off a good move. After his penalty miss on the first night for Kolkata, Lara had amends with a bright performance.
Nothing eventful happened till the 80th minute. Kolkata were satisfied with playing the ball among themselves and allowing Kerala space in their attacks in the midfield, only to cramp them for space once they got near the goal. This was flirting with danger and Kerala certainly made them pay.
Blasters get one back
Peter Ramage chipped a ball into the box, and CK Vineeth, on as a 70th minute substitute for Saumik Dey, and Calatayud both went for the ball. In the ensuing melee, Chris Dagnall got hold of the ball to bundle it into the goal.
That goal spurred a series of Kerala attacks. The very next minute saw Calatayud tipping over a fierce shot on goal by Watt. This was followed by a shot by Vineeth, which went wide. Habas brought on a fresh pair of legs in the form of Valdo who replaced Javi Lara.
It was certainly not a happy return to Kolkata for Mehtab Hossain. He had already picked up a yellow after a series of fouls in the match. In the 90th minute, he recklessly tackled Valdo from behind, an act which earned him a second yellow and the marching orders. Down to ten men, Kerala looked down and out.
Kerala surge forward
But they were not going down without a fight. A late surge saw them earn a few chances right at the end. In the 92nd minute, Dagnall had a shot saved by Calatayud and again in the 94th minute, his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper who was fast becoming a fan favourite.
However, Kolkata managed to hold on to their nerves and to their lead, to take away all three points
The match see-sawed between one-sided Kolkata domination to a fierce Kerala fightback at the end. The match had all the thrills and spills a neutral would love, but the fans at Salt Lake Stadium would have probably preferred a less tense encounter. On the bright side though, the fact that Kolkata now top the table should make up for it.
Kerala showed character in the last 15 minutes but they will need to replicate that throughout the whole 90 minutes to get back to the top. But going by Kolkata’s last three performances, the message seems clear: If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.
