 "Kerala Blasters, ISL")
Kerala Blasters and FC Goa shared points after they played out a 2-2 draw in the Hero Indian Super League at the Tilak Maidan Stadium, here on Sunday.
Jeakson Singh (10th) opened the scoring for the Blasters with Luna scoring a wonder-goal in the 20th minute. Kerala looked on top before Goa came back to first make it 2-1 riding a Jorge Ortiz (24th) strike before Edu Bedia scored from the corner in the 38th minute. Kerala are now third in the points table with 14 points from nine games while Goa remain ninth having nine points from nine outings.
Kerala were off to a perfect start, nosing ahead in just 10 minutes after Luna swung in a delectable corner for Jeakson to head home. The yellow shirts dominated proceedings thereafter with Glan Martins smashing a volley from long just over, against the run of play.
Kerala went 2-0 soon after, Luna showing his brilliance this time. The Uruguayan was given space on the left inside channel and the 29-year-old made merry, getting the ball to dip past the keeper from 30 yards out. The ball hit the post and went in leaving Dheeraj Moirangthem with no chance to keep it out.
Pegged back twice in quick succession, Goa picked themselves up riding Ortiz's strike. The Spaniard received a ball from Saviour Gama, turned sharply and fired home past Prabhsukhan Singh Gill who was beaten at his near post.
Kerala came close to making it 3-1 near the halftime whistle when Sahal Abdul Samad shot over the bar from a Alvaro Vazquez cross. Goa drew level from the next attack, and it was Edu Bedia who got in the act curling in an exquisite corner that went in leaving Gill high and dry.
A frantic first half came to an end with both sides level at 2-2. In the second period, both teams showed caution as chances were few and far between. Three times to the final whistle, Edu Bedia's effort from a free-kick came off the crossbar much to Goa's dismay as the match ended as it started with both teams sharing the spoils.
--IANS
inj/cs
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