The Indian Super League match between Kerala Blasters and FC Goa was one of the most entertaining game in the history of the league. The game contained controversies, red cards, a last minute goal and much more. In the end, it was the men in yellow who came out victorious.
It was Goa who took the lead just 9 minutes into the game through Rafael Coelho. However, Kerala managed to comeback and win the game 2-1 after two of their opponents for sent-off. It was Haitian forward Kervens Belfort and Indian striker C.K Vineeth who scored for Steve Coppell's side.
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Here are the talking points from the game.
#1 One of the best games in the whole league
The game, which took place on Tuesday, was a true entertainer and would have nailed anyone who loves football to their seats. The first half had six extra minutes while the second half had nine, which tells a lot about the match.
Kerala, who were the home side on the night, were dominant from the time when the referee blew his whistle. However, a poor set-piece defending from the men in yellow saw Brazilian forward Rafael Coelho score for the Gaurs. The goal didn't affect the confidence of the home side much, though, as they kept on causing trouble for their opponent.
The game took a huge turn when Goa captain Gregory Arnolin decided to handle a Mohammed Rafi shot in the penalty box just after the start of the second half. The Frenchman was shown the red card for the offence. Kerala's Kervens Belfort scored from the resulting penalty and levelled the score. The away side's Richarlyson Felisbino also got sent-off in the 81st minute of the game as a result of receiving two yellow cards.
Kerala knew they had to score the winner, but time was running out for them. Finally, the men in yellow got their winner in the last minute of the game through C.K Vineeth, who returned to the squad after participating in the AFC Cup finals with Bengaluru FC. It would have been a disappointment if none of the teams managed to win a game like this.
#2 Controversial refereeing
As stated in the first point, the game was a true entertainer and even the referee was a part of it. The referee attracted a lot of attention for the bold and controversial decisions he made during the match.
The Goa players were very unhappy about the refereeing on the night, especially about the two red cards that were given to their key players. The controller of the game showed a total of nine cards on the night and seven of them were for the away side. The team managed by Brazilian legend Zico felt that the referee was completely unfair in the game and cost them the match.
We also saw the Goa players surround the referee of the night even after the game. Security guards were needed to keep the players away from the man with the whistle. However, the decisions made by the match official was right and also the red cards given were also legitimate.
#3 C.K Vineeth marks his return to the Kerala team with a winning goal
Kerala Blasters' local boy Vineeth was with Bengaluru FC competing in the AFC Cup till Saturday. The striker, who was unavailable for the Blasters in their first sight games, played a key part in the I-League side making history by making it to the AFC Cup finals this year. Vineeth rejoined the Kerala team this week after Bengaluru lost their historic match in Doha and the 28-year old player marked his return with a winning goal.
Vineeth was introduced into the game by Coppell in the 79th minute of the game as a substitute for winger Mohammed Rafique. Goa player Richarlyson received his second yellow card of the night for a double-legged tackle he made on the Kerala striker, who was trying to make an instant impact on the game. Vineeth himself also got booked for excessively complaining about the opposition's time wasting to the referee.
However, Vineeth's most important contribution came in the 98th minute, which was also the last minute, of the match. The player turned hero when he tapped the ball into the net in the final minute of the game to win it for the Blasters. Coppell will be now hoping that the solution for his team's goalscoring woes has finally been found.
#4 Lack of composure from Goa after the loss of Arnolin
Tuesday's game was a big test from start to end for the side who is on the bottom of the points table. After getting an early lead against the Blasters, they were also able to handle the attack from their opponents. However, captain Gregory Arnolin getting sent-off turned out to be a big blow for the Gaurs.
Kerala equalised from the resulting penalty they got and piled more pressure on Zico's men. Goa could have gone home with at least one point if they had maintained composure after being one man down, but they didn't. Instead of trying to play defensive and organised football, they were completely messed up in the second half.
An experienced player like Richarlyson should never have made such a reckless tackle on Vineeth, considering the facts that he was already booked and his team was one man down. In the end, FC Goa had to pay for their mistakes and lack of composure by losing the match.
Zico is currently under the threat of getting sacked by the club. The Brazilian is aware of his situation and it was evident from his reaction after the match. The 63-year old manager has no one, but him to blame for his team's condition.
#5 Mehtab Hossain was perfect defensively and offensively
Mehtab Hossain might be one of the most underrated players in the Blasters squad. The team's defence has received a lot of praise for their solidity at the back, but Mehtab has never been appreciated for the shield he provides in front of it. However, the midfielder's performance on Tuesday was noticed by everyone who watched the game.
The 31-year-old is mainly known for his defence strengths, but he showed that he can also contribute to a team's attack against Goa. The Indian player made sure that none of the opposition attackers got past him easily and also made things difficult for their defenders. Mehtab was physical in the midfield, while his short passes and long balls were on point.
The man from East Bengal got even better after he got into an argument with some of the players from the away side in the first half. However, he did well to let his play do the talking.
