ISL 2018-19: Luck assists Bengaluru FC in 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters FC
The win sends Bengaluru FC to the top of the table with 13 points from five games while Kerala are in the sixth spot with seven points from five games
 "Kerala Blasters FC, Bengaluru FC")
Kerala Blasters FC vs Bengaluru FC (Photo: indiansuperleague.com)
Full-time report: Kerala Blasters FC coach David James and his men must be feeling hard done by after they fell to a 1-2 defeat at the hands of rivals Bengaluru FC in front of their home fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Bengaluru FC scored their first goal from what should have been an offside while the second was an own-goal.
Bengaluru FC drew the first blood in the 17th minute after Kerala dominated the first 10 minutes. Sunil Chhetri was released with an incisive pass by Miku, although the Bengaluru FC captain was arguably offside. Chhetri made the run and got behind Jhingan, darting towards the goal to finally slide the ball into the back of the net.
Kerala did manage to pull one goal back in the 30th minute, from a penalty. Samad wriggled his way inside the box where he was clipped by Nishu Kumar from behind. The referee immediately pointed to the spot.
Stojanovic, despite missing his last two penalties, stepped up to take the shot and absolutely blasted it with the ball hitting the underside of the bar and into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
The game swung in favour of both teams in phases. Kerala started it brightly but Bengaluru grew into the game. The scoreline at half-time was thus a fine indicator of how the first half went.
In the second half, which started after a 25-minute delay due to a power failure at the stadium, Bengaluru started on the front foot and created multiple chances.
In the 56th minute, Bengaluru went close to taking the lead when Sandhu hoofed the ball all the way to the Kerala box from where Miku spotted and pulled the ball back for Udanta whose strike was saved by a diving Naveen Kumar.
Four minutes later, A fantastic ball by Dimas carved open the Kerala defence while Chhetri made the run to get at the end of the pass. He did receive the ball near the byline on the left but his heavy first-touch poked the ball out for a goal-kick.
Kerala returned the favour by missing a glorious chance in the 77th minute when Prasanth slid a great pass that set Vineeth free with Narzari by his side and the goalkeeper at his mercy. Vineeth though ignored Narzari and took the shot himself, sending his effort across the face of the goal and out beyond the far post.
The miss was to hurt Kerala when Bengaluru got their second goal in the 80th minute, albit with a bit of luck. Miku, inside the box, cut the ball back for onrushing Xisco whose shot was parried away by the goalkeeper but the ball ricocheted to Krcmarevic who unwittingly put the ball inside his own net.
The win sends Bengaluru FC to the top of the table with 13 points from five games while Kerala are in the sixth spot with seven points from five games.
10:20 PM
9:48 PM
Full-time
9:48 PM
Minute 90+5 -- Poplatnik's free-kick takes a deflection and flies out of play
9:47 PM
Minute 90+4 -- Vineeth is brought down in the Bengaluru box and a free-kick is given. Last roll of dice for Kerala?
9:45 PM
Minute 90+2 -- A good chance for Miku who receives the ball near the right goalpost. He tries to pull it back but is promptly dispossesed
9:42 PM
Minute 90 -- Five minutes of injury time
9:41 PM
Minute 89 (SUBSTITUTION FOR KERALA) -- Stojanovic makes way for Poplatnik
9:37 PM
Minute 84 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU) -- Khabra out, Rino in
9:34 PM
Minute 80 (OWN-GOAL!!) -- Bengaluru score again, albit with a bit of luck. Miku, inside the box, cuts it back for onrushing Xisco whose shot is parried away by the goalkeeper but the ball rikochets to Krcmarevic who unwittingly puts the ball inside his own net
9:31 PM
Minute 78 (YELLOW CARDS) -- Vineeth and Serran are shown the cards for a little scuffle they got involved in
9:31 PM
Minute 77 -- What a miss for Kerala! Prasanth slides a great pass that sets Vineeth free with Narzari by his side and the goalkeeper at his mercy. Vineeth though ignores Narzari and takes the shot himself and sends his effort across the face of the goal and ouut beyond the far post
9:27 PM
Minute 74 -- Xisco gets at the end of the pass inside the Kerala box and pulls it back into the box where Miku is waiting but Pekuson does well to cut it off at the near post
9:25 PM
Minute 73 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU) -- Juanan out, Xisco in
9:24 PM
Minute 72 -- Stankovic curls a cross from the right to the far post where Vineeth completely misses in trying to head it
9:20 PM
Minute 68 (SUBSTITUTION FOR KERALA) -- Doungel out, Narzary in
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First Published: Nov 05 2018 | 6:12 PM IST
