ISL 2018-19, NorthEast United FC 2-1 Kerala Blasters FC: 5 Hits and Flops

NorthEast United FC defeated Kerala Blasters FC 2-1 at home to jump to the third position in the Indian Super League table and solidified their position in the top four.

The home side scored two stoppage goals to complete a comeback win against Kerala Blasters FC after a goal from Matej Poplatnik.

The first half was full of action and the spectators saw everything that can happen on the football field except the ball hitting the back of the net.

The second half was much more joy for the paying spectators who saw a headed goal, a penalty and a last-minute screamer to win the game.

The Blasters were set for their first win since the opening day of the season after Poplatnik's header in the 72nd minute but Sandesh Jhingan, the 'Hero of the match' conceded a needless penalty which led to an inevitable Ogbeche goal.

Juan Mascia scored a stunner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to get his side the important three points.

Let's now have a look at the 5 hits and flops from the match.

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#5 Hit: Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem

Dheeraj also made good clearances from corners coming out to punch the ball away on several occasions (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Dheeraj Singh started the first two matches of the league for Kerala Blasters and conceded only one goal but was dropped in favour of the experienced Naveen Kumar.

Kumar conceded nine goals in the subsequent five matches, failing to keep a single clean sheet resulting in the 18-year old getting a start against NorthEast United FC.

The teenager made a good start to the match as he saved a powerful header from Ogbeche and also saved a deflected shot which could have proved tricky.

Dheeraj also made good clearances from corners coming out to punch the ball away on several occasions.

In the end, he was helpless in the Ogbeche penalty and stood no chance to save Mascia's winner either.

#4 Flop: Seiminlen Doungel

The 24-year old missed an open goal after a rebound from Narzary's shot which left the Northeast United keeper on the ground and the goal unguarded (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Seiminlen Doungel was given a start instead of the star forward CK Vineeth by the manager David James. The winger has made three assists in this season, the most for any Kerala Blasters FC player but failed to hit the back of the net in any of the matches that he has played this season.

Halicharan Narzary put a dangerous cross in the early parts of the first half which found Doungel unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box but he put the free header wide.

Furthermore, the 24-year old missed an open goal after a rebound from Narzary's shot which left the Northeast United keeper on the ground and the goal unguarded.

#3 Hit: Matej Poplatnik

He was under some pressure to deliver against NorthEast United FC and after being invisible for most of the match, he scored off a corner delivered by the debutant Zakeer Mundampara (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Matej Poplatnik scored a header in the opening match of the season to seal a 2-0 win against ATK.

Since then, the Slovenian had been enduring a dry patch which coincided with Kerala Blasters' winless run of six matches.

The 26-year old was signed by Blasters after a good season in the Slovenian second tier which saw him score 16 goals in 34 games.

He was under some pressure to deliver against NorthEast United FC and after being invisible for most of the match, he scored off a corner delivered by the debutant Zakeer Mundampara.

Poplatnik's goal would have secured the win for the away side had it not been for those two stoppage-time goals.

#2 Flop: Nemanja Lakic-Pesic

The Serbian made a lot of mistakes during the match (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Nemanja Lakic-Pesic had a game to forget against NorthEast United FC. While his partner in defence, Sandesh Jhingan was a rock at the back throughout the game, the Serbian made a lot of mistakes in the match.

Early in the second half, the 27-year-old should have been shown his second yellow card and should have been sent off for a poor challenge which clipped the heels of the opposition's player.

Later, he easily let pass Federico Gallego go on a solo run from the halfway line to the penalty box. Also, he was out of position in Mascia's winner.

#1 Hit: Juan Mascia

Juan Mascia tormented the Blasters from the moment he stepped on to the field (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Juan Cruz Mascia was dropped in favour of the centre back Mislav Komorski with the manager, Eelco Schattorie going for a much more defensive team than the 1-0 defeat to Mumbai City FC.

He came off the bench in the 79th minute and ran riot from the first minute he was on the field. He earned a free kick on the edge of the penalty area which was wasted by Keegan Pereira as he could not even hit the target.

Eventually, the Uruguayan's efforts counted as he earned a penalty in stoppage time with Sandesh Jhingan fouling him inside the 18-yard box.

Ogbeche stepped up to convert the penalty. Two minutes later, link-up play between Gallego and Rowlin Borges set up the 24-year old who scored the winner past the Blasters goalkeeper who had no chance of saving that magnificent effort.