Sreenidi Deccan FC vs Kerala Blasters: Deccan Warriors stun the Blasters to go top of Group A | Hero Super Cup 2023

Sreenidi Deccan FC defied all odds and stunned Kerala Blasters with a comprehensive 2-0 victory at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode. First-half goals from Rilwan Hassan and Juan David Castaneda secured an important three points for the Deccan Warriors.

The Blasters looked composed in possession and took their chances against RoundGlass Punjab FC, but their start to the game would have frustrated assistant coach Ishfaq Ahmed. They were slow in the buildup stage and struggled to progress the ball to the final third. Sreenidi Deccan, meanwhile, were compact defensively and looked to hit their opponents on the break.

The Deccan Warriors started growing into the game and were rewarded for their efforts in the 17th minute. Rilwan Hassan picked up the ball on the left flank and left Ayush Adhikari in his wake before slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

The Blasters, who were stunned by the goal, improved their intensity but lacked the cutting edge to trouble their opponents. They were once again made to pay for their poor approach play as the Deccan Warriors doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime.

Hassan was once again involved and he released Dinesh Singh on the flanks. The left back’s first-time cross found Juan Castaneda, who executed an acrobatic volley that sailed past a helpless Sachin Suresh.

The Tuskers struggled to get a foothold in the game and found themselves down by two goals. They had a chance to halve the deficit in stoppage time of the first half, but Nishu Kumar’s shot was blocked by the Sreenidi Deccan defense.

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Sreenidi Deccan hold on to their two goal lead against Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters upped the ante in the second half with the introduction of attacking midfielder Apostolos Giannou. The Australian had the half’s first clear-cut chance in the 50th minute, but he failed to connect with the ball from Adhikari’s inch-perfect cross.

Meanwhile, Carlos Vaz Pinto’s side also looked threatening on the break. Rosenberg Gabriel got on the end of a brilliant counter-attacking move, but his effort was saved by Sachin Suresh.

Kerala Blasters’ attacking approach suited the Deccan Warriors, who continued to trouble Sachin. This time, Castaneda’s curved hit was expertly parried away by the Blasters’ custodian to keep his side in the game.

However, the ISL outfit finally began hitting their stride as they committed men forward. With just twenty minutes left, Giannou hit the inside of the post, while Ivan Kaliuzhnyi also tested goalkeeper Aryan Lamba with a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty box.

They kept piling on the pressure, but their efforts were met by an orange wall in front of them. Ultimately, Sreenidi Deccan FC produced the first upset of the tournament with a well-deserved 2-0 victory.

Kerala Blasters will now face southern rivals Bengaluru FC in what could prove to be a do-or-die tie, while Sreenidi Deccan, who are currently top of Group A, will lock horns with RoundGlass Punjab FC. Both games will be held on Sunday (April 16) at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode.