ISL 2017-18, Match 43: Delhi Dynamos vs Kerala Blasters, 5 Talking Points

In a battle of two teams with just one win to their name, the Kerala Blasters emerged victorious with a 3-1 win on the road against the Delhi Dynamos in the Indian Super League. The game was tied at half-time but Iain Hume struck twice in the second half to help the Blasters pull away for the win.

The Dynamos are most certainly done for the ISL season now after this damaging loss as they failed to kick on from the draw against Chennaiyin on Sunday. Meanwhile, David James, who's back for his second stint as Blasters head coach, continues to revive their flagging fortunes as they climb up to sixth in the table with 11 points.

Here's what stood out from the game:

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#1 What a strange goal!

The Dynamos, playing at home, had made the better start to this match, but it was the Blasters who got the opening goal. And it was one that really did come out of nothing.

Subhasish Roy's goal-kick was flicked on by Iain Hume's header to Courage Pekuson. The Ghanaian went down the left flank where he had the beating of the Dynamos' defence, for some reason decided to cut back instead of crossing, allowed the defence to recover, then decided to run to the byline anyway and put a left-footed cross in.

Gabriel Cichero's attempt to slide in and clear only saw the ball slide off of him and into Hume's path who was sliding into the net himself. It hit Hume's thigh and went in, but it was probably going in any way.

It was well against the run of play and very telling of both sides' shortcomings. The Blasters have struggled to score, often relying on such rubs of the green to score. The Dynamos have defended abysmally and that's why they find themselves bottom of the table.

#2 Berbatov trudges off to end an undeserved start

Berbatov (right) was subbed off in the second half

The Kerala Blasters haven't had a lot of things go right for them this season, but Mark Sifneos has been a bright spot at the head of the attack.

David James though, in a bid to accommodate the impressive Kizito Keziron had to take one of his foreigners off and chose to omit Sifneos from the starting line-up. Dimitar Berbatov was surprisingly retained, considering he was the one who was yanked off at half-time in the previous game for Keziron after being largely ineffective.

Berbatov did nothing of note here today again and in the 40th minute was taken off after he went down, downed tools and sat still on the pitch (that's the Berba way of saying I'm done for the night).

Sifneos deservedly got a chance to come on.

#3 News flash: Delhi are bad at set-pieces and the sun rises in the east

Delhi have not been impressive in the air this season (Image: ISL)

Well, Miguel Angel Portugal has admitted himself many times so far that his side hasn't defended set-pieces well. But what has really been lost in all of this focus on defending set-pieces is how atrocious they've been in attacking set-pieces too.

The Dynamos winning a free-kick in a good position, their tall guys lumbering forward to get into the box, the eventual delivery being nowhere close to the box or straight into the keeper's hands, tall guys walking back disgruntled - this has been the story of the season for the Dynamos so far.

There was more today with so many balls being nowhere close to acceptable from free-kicks and corners. They finally managed to get one right and guess what? They scored from it! Who knew?

#4 How many goalkeepers do you have left?

The Delhi side was forced to change keepers in the first half (Image: ISL)

The phrase 'next one up' is an oft-repeated one in team sport. Something happens to your number one, the next in line takes his/her place. Simple. No rocket science. But what do you do when you look at your bench and there is no one else left?

Like walking to the fridge during a midnight hunger pang and finding it barren with nothing in stock, the Dynamos are reaching for their bench and finding no more keepers to turn to.

Albino Gomes - out, Sukhdev Patil - out, Xabier Iratueguena - out. Arnab Das Sharma - still standing.

Sharma came in for Xabier today in the 51st minute of the first half - yes, you read that right - after the latter decided to kick a ball having just picked up an injury with just a minute left for half-time. Yes, not very bright, but then par for the course for the Dynamos this season.

At this rate, the Dynamos will have to suit up an outfield player in goal next game.

#5 Hume hat-trick as Dynamos roll out the red carpet for him

Hume was the hero for Kerala (Image: ISL)

Iain Hume has quite literally bled for his side. What is it with Hume and head injuries?

He was busted open after fighting for a header in the previous game and here again; he should probably don a plaster in advance just in case from here on in.

Well, he scored a hat-trick here in the capital. Yes, the Dynamos allowed a Blasters side that has been clutching at straws to score goals to score three here. Hume grabbed all three.

The first might have been a touch fortuitous as touched upon earlier, but the second and third were well-taken. For his second, he managed to swivel out from the left-hand side of the penalty box and unleash a right-footed strike into the corner. The Dynamos defence did their bit to facilitate the goal as there were three defenders, but for some reason they weren't anywhere near Hume.

For his third, he ran onto a punt forward from defence (the intention wasn't to find Hume), outpaced Cichero who was probably sick of the sight of Hume by then, and went on to deftly chip the ball over the onrushing Sharma.

Hume's a gambler - he makes runs just hoping to nick something even if there is nothing on. It was in perfect evidence for that final goal. That ball wasn't meant for him, it was a clearance. But he sprinted for it, just to see if there was something on and he was rewarded.

Sometimes when you're a team struggling for goals, you need a gambler and Hume fits that bill perfectly.