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The Kerala Blasters FC crashed out of the Hero Super Cup after suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Indian Arrows in the qualifier at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Floyd Pinto’s men were deserved winners on the night as they piled further misery on what has been a disastrous season for the Men in Yellow this term. The young Colts were the dominant force in the first half and troubled the Blasters with their pressing and relentless running.
Amarjit Singh Kiyam opened the scoring in the 38th minute after getting on the end of a well-orchestrated move as the Arrows entered the interval on a high while being head and shoulders above their opponents.
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Nelo Vingada’s men responded positively after the break but were unable to force the initiative as they were kept out by the heroics of Prabhsukhan Singh Gill in goal for the Arrows.
The shot-stopper punched above his weight to make a number of saves and kept his team in the tie until a moment of madness from Anas Edathodika gave them a shot in the arm.
The Kerala Blasters FC defender received the marching orders for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity with his hands, as Amarjit stepped up to complete the rout by bagging a brace in the 73rd minute.
Arrows were also reduced to 10-men in the 83rd minute when Jitendra Singh was sent off for a last-ditch lunge on Sandesh Jhingan. However, it proved to be a little too late as the Indian Colts held on valiantly to script a memorable win over the two-time finalists.
Without further delay, let’s take a closer look at the major talking points from the Hero Super Cup qualifier under the lights at the Kalinga Stadium:
#1 Arrows stab deep and add to their giant-killing spree
The Indian Arrows finished eighth in the recently concluded I-League season and capped off their domestic campaign with an impressive comeback win over Mohun Bagan in the final game.
And against the Blasters in the Hero Super Cup qualifier, they picked up from where they left off with a convincing performance that would have certainly boosted their confidence.
Despite the gulf in class between the sides with respect to experience, the young guns were relentless in their approach and were duly rewarded as they ran riot at the Kalinga Stadium.
Floyd Pinto’s men had also registered a win over former I-League champions Minerva Punjab and the result against the Blasters was the latest in line on their list of giant-killings so far this season.
The Colts proved that if you are good enough, then you are old enough and grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck while remaining unfazed by the magnitude of the occasion.
Full credit to the team for they deserve all the praise in the world for such a cohesive and well-drilled performance that trumped a hapless Blasters side.
#2 Insult to injury for insipid Kerala Blasters
In many ways, the Super Cup was the ideal opportunity for the Kerala Blasters to bounce back from their catastrophic domestic season and they failed miserably to do so on Friday.
The Kochi-based franchise had endured turmoil on and off the pitch this season but showed no signs of determination or willingness to make a statement by securing their berth in the last 16 of the cup competition.
Their opponents deserve the plaudits for the gritty display, but the result is nothing short of an embarrassment for the Blasters and they must admit they never deserved anything from the game, to begin with anyway.
Apart from some individual brilliance from Sahal Abdul Samad on a few instances, the Blasters were bang average on the night and were eventually trumped by the Arrows, who exploited their glaring deficiencies.
There is no hiding place for any of the players who took to the field for the Blasters on the night after such an insipid display, and it further reiterates the fact they are simply not motivated enough to muscle their way back into the upper echelons of Indian football.
#3 Amarjit Singh Kiyam proves mettle as the future beckons
The performance from Amarjit Singh Kiyam on the night was simply outstanding as he worked tirelessly and scored the goals that would eventually help the Indian Arrows get through to the next round.
It is undoubtedly heartening to see the young midfielder locking horns with an ISL side and still managing to trump their midfielders in a power packed performance.
Amarjit was a tireless runner in midfield and was always willing to receive the ball and recycle possession effectively for the Arrows on the night.
However, that was not all as he bagged the all-important brace that helped his team script a memorable win over the Blasters.
The 18-year-old opened the scoring with a thunderous left-footed strike that beat his former team-mate Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, while his second came from the penalty spot as he tucked away the spot-kick after sending the Blasters keeper the wrong way in the process.
It was a complete performance from Amarjit in midfield as he bagged his first ever brace in a competitive fixture for the Indian Arrows.
The midfielder featured prominently in every single game of the I-League this season and already looks like a born leader and a talent, as the future of Indian football beckons.
#4 Blasters must cut losses with lacklustre recruitment
One of the most evident issues with the Kerala Blasters has been their recruitment policy this season. In fact, none of their foreigners, including the ones retained from last season, have stepped up and made a strong impression until now.
Plenty of hope rested in the boots of Matej Poplatnik and Slavisa Stojanovic after their impressive debut against ATK during the inaugural game of the ISL season, but the pair have flattered to deceive on the whole.
On the other hand, the likes of Cyril Kali and Nikola Krcmarveic have been plagued by injuries from time to time and have failed to give enough evidence to show why they must still be given another season to rewrite their fortunes at the club.
The same applies to the three foreigners, who were retained from last season in the form of Nemanja Lakic-Pesic, Courage Pekuson and Keziron Kizito.
Lakic-Pesic has been a disappointment this term and is far from the likes of a Cedric Hengbart or Aaron Hughes from the past. The Croatian’s decline has been substantial and he would find it difficult to get into most ISL sides based on the merit of his performances.
Pekuson and Kizito have enjoyed a slight resurgence under Nelo Vingada, but the pair have been sparingly used all season and it does not make a lot of sense to retain them again if they are going to be average bit-part players, who are there to make up the numbers.
The Blasters should be eyeing up changes for the next season and it should ideally start with investing in better quality rather, than opting for an experimental recruitment policy that has backfired tremendously this season.
#5 Floyd Pinto’s words must still be echoing around the Kalinga Stadium
Prior to the meeting with the Kerala Blasters, the Indian Arrows head coach claimed his team are not in the Hero Super Cup to merely make up the numbers in the competition.
And whilst he was cut a demanding presence at the touchline, shouting out his instructions at the players, his words would have certainly been echoing around the Kalinga Stadium for all the right reasons, even after the full 90 minutes.
Floyd Pinto’s young Colts did not settle for being steam-rolled and took the game to the opposition with their fearless and determined display on the night.
Ultimately, it was the AIFF’s developmental squad that sent out the biggest statement, and rightfully so. as they unceremoniously dumped the two-time ISL finalists out of the competition.
The Arrows will next face FC Goa in the round of 16 tie of the Super Cup and by that time, the Gaurs could even be the ISL champions following their final against Bengaluru FC on Sunday.
However, it is guaranteed that they won’t be unfazed by the reputation of the opposition like they showed against the Blasters on Friday, and it is safe to say the sky is the limit for these young guns and their manager at the moment.
