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Well, finally Kerala's footballers joined the party! They dominated for large periods of the game and should really have had much more were it not for some truly woeful finishing. The Kerala fans finally get their just reward. Chopra was rather lucky to get that finish in, but he showcased a couple of good touches playing that deeper role. Mehtab Hossain and Azarack Mahamat were imperious in the middle of the park; as were the centreback pairing of Aaron Hughes and Cedric Hengbert. Jhingan and Josu were immense too. Meanwhile Rafi and Belfort need to work on their positioning, but their sense of adventure is a good sign for Kerala fans
Mumbai were dreadful - till Sonny Norde came on and started playing that expressive, entertaining, brand of football of his. Apart from the Haitian, they lacked any sort of conviction, purpose or cohesion. Matias Defederico - one of the stars of gameweek #1 was invisible. Guimaraes will be scratching his head on that one - but needs to work on ensuring morale doesn't drop in the Mumbai dressing room.
It was a well deserved win for Kerala, and it was a pleasure bring it you guys.
Thank you for reading, this is Anirudh Menon signing out.
Toodle-oo!!!
KERALA WIN!!!
KOCHI ERUPTS!!!!
97' YELLOW for Josu. For timewasting. Sigh.
96' Jackhichand attacks down the right, but Josu is a match for him and hacks it clear! From the throw in, he wins it right back and now he has a throw!
95' Azarack has had a superb job in the middle of the park doing the Makelele role to perfection
Uff a yellow. He should have been OFF by now! very very poor and very very violent he has been!
92' SEHNAJ SINGH WITH AN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE CHALLENGE!! STUDS UP ON MEHTAB!!
91' Defederico tries to bundle his way straight through the middle of the pitch. Hughes is having none of it. It has most certainly not been the Argentine's day - to put it politely!
Five minutes to be added on
89' He immediately pressurises Anwar Ali into a mistake, and the Mumbai defender is forced to take out Nazon to stop the counter. German attempts a pop from an incredible distance. It ends as you would expect. High and wide
88' SUBSTITUTION - Belfort OFF, Nazon ON. Like for like that, the Mumbai defenders will not relish this though, Duckens Nazon IS FAST!
86' OH THAT WAS INANE FROM KERALA!!! Belfort gets the ball at the halfway line with not a defender in sight ahead of him, and instead of turning and running the length of the empty half he passes it to German who is naturally offside by a mile
85' Defederico stands over a corner but its brilliantly headed away by the majestic Hughes. German and Rafi manage to muck up the counter attack though.
82' That was clumsy from Vadocz. He attempts a Zidane pirouette at the edge of the box and hands the ball over to Hengbert. The big Frenchman comes out with the ball and gives to Rafi. The centre-back keeps going though and receives a return ball from Rafi before going into the corner - why he would do that with SEVEN MINUTES left, only he would know
81' Hahaha! German quite literally rugby tackles Cardozo. That, sir, is a foul
79' SUBSTITUTION - German ON, the goalscorer Chopra OFF!
78' Jhingan slides in to stop a flying Sonny Norde. This could be the battle the match right here!
77' Belfort carries the ball forward again and, again, lays it off to Rafi. He tries a shot from thirty yards out. He should not have
76' Belfort is all long legs and pure muscle and he rampages into the Mumbai box. Kerala have 2v2 on the edge of the box, but the Haitian tries to play in Rafi, and it's too much for the Malayalee. CHANCE WASTED!
74' SUBSTITUTION - Ishfaq Ahmed ON, Mohammed Rafique - who is still feeling the effects of that Sehnaj challenge - OFF
73' Josu uses all his experience to win a free kick off Khongjee
72' Norde runs at the Kerala defence again, and he lays it off to Defederico but the Argentine who has been so poor today has another shot blocked by Hengbert
71' This is certainly a more open match now. Norde is keeping everyone in yellow on their toes
70' Belfort bullies Khongjee off the ball but he runs into a blind alley and that's that.
68' OH MY GOD!!! What brilliant all round play here. Sonny Norde runs past defenders like they aren't event there and beats the goalkeeper with a superb shot... BUT AARON HUGHES IS THERE TO CLEAR OFF THE LINE!!! SUPERB STUFF FROM NORDE THERE. Hello Mumbai, nice to see you've woken up!
65' Rafi has been lively and has a snapshot that flies just wide!
64' That was UGLY from Sehnaj Singh on Mohammed Rafique. He quite literally stamps on the Kerala midfielders right foot. That was most certainly a bookable offence. Poor officiating!
63' SUBSTITUTIONS for Mumbai - Sena Ralte ON for the injured Haokip, Goian OFF for Norde. Bye bye kitchen sink. Mumbai are throwing everything at this
61' Haokip is down for the count in the middle of the park. This is very concerning for Mumbai!!
60' Jhingan has been absolutely brilliant tonight. He bombards down the right and tries to whip it in, but it's well blocked.
59' The Kerala side needs to be careful not to step off the gas here. They've finally got their first goal of the ISL season and they look like they are in the mood for more
Just as I diss the man, he makes me eat my words. Belfort hammers in a shot, but it deflects into the path of Michael Chopra who cannot believe his luck. He passes it in from two yards! The stadium is SO LOUD right now!!! The camera was literally shaking as the crowd shook the stadium!!
55' Leo Costa wins a corner for Mumbai after a rare foray into the Kerala box. That phase of play ends with Defederico hammering a shot into the Kerala defence... shouts for handball are waved away!!
54' Chopra has had flashes of good play but I cannot see why he is starting ahead of German and even Nazon
51' This is concentrated pressure from Kerala. Jhingan does brilliantly on the right to beat Cardozo and whip in a ball at the near post. Chopra falls on his backside as he attempts to reach it.
50' Azarack Mahamat plays a neat one-two with Chopra before curling a shot straight at Valpato. Kerala will kick themselves if they don't score today
49' Rafi and Belfort are creating all sorts of bother for the Mumbai defence, and they win a corner. Nothing comes off it though
48' Oh Sehnaj Singh. He lets fly from outside the box. The ball ends up nearer the corner post than the goal
47' The free kick is wasted! and Mumbai spring an attack. Now they have a freekick of their own
46' Rafique is stopped in his tracks by a blatant foul by Cardozo. YELLOW for the man, Kerala were baying for red, but the ref does well to remain calm and ignore the men on the field and the thousands off it.
45' Rafi starts where he left off, running at Khongjee and putting a ball into the box. He'd already run out of real estate though and its a goal kick!
Peep! We're OFF!!!!
SUBSTITUTION for Mumbai - David OFF, Jackichand ON. That is a statement of intent from the Mumbai coach. That's a defensive midfielder off for an attacking on
The Kochi crowd have finally seen some sense of urgency from their side, and it's been great to see the crowd not having to create an atmosphere without any help from the men in yellow on the pitch
That was a surprising half of football. Mumbai, much the better side in the opening three matches, were invisible as a resurgent Kerala Blasters side absolutely bossed the first 45. Rafi walks off shaking his head in disgust, as well he might, if he had finished better he could easily have had a brace by now.
Guimaraes will be absolutely furious with his Mumbai side - oh! to be a fly on the wall in the Mumbai dressing room right now!
47' Belfort rampages into the box and wins a corner. Josu swings in a delicious looking ball that is headed JUUUUST over by RAFFIIII!!!!! WHAT A CHANCE - IT WAS A FREE HEADER!!
46' A loose touch from Belfort ends a very promising Kerala passing move! They have been aeons better than how they have played so far
3 minutes added on
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Goodnight folks!