ATK Mohun Bagan sealed a spot within the play-offs because it got here from a objective behind to beat 10-man Kerala Blasters 2-1, in an Indian Super League match on the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
The win, coming after three winless matches, secured 31 factors from 19 video games for the Mariners and positioned it within the third spot of the present standings. Kerala remained on 31 factors after 19 matches and fell a few rungs under, owing to an hostile head-to-head file with ATKMB.
The opening half produced a box-to-box motion as each side went for the lead. Kerala Blasters took the initiative to play nice one-touch soccer and was in a position to put the house defence underneath stress.
The mixture of passes began with Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, who situated Apostolos Giannou contained in the field with a pleasant ‘no-look’ reverse go. The latter punched it throughout for Dimitrios Diamantakos, standing unmarked, and the Greek ahead punched it dwelling, giving ATKMB goalkeeper Vishal Kaith no likelihood to put it aside.
Stung by the early objective, ATKMB regrouped rapidly and was on stage phrases within the twenty third minute. Carl MacHugh put his identify on the scoreline with a well-taken header from a Dimitri Petratos cross. The equaliser boosted the morale of the host because it doubled its initiative for a win.
The change of ends noticed the host displaying the proper resolve and nearly received the lead within the 51st minute, however for the upright of the Kerala Blasters’ objective, which blocked the header of Manvir Singh.
The Blasters had been all the way down to 10 males within the sixty fourth minute when winger Rahul Ok.P received marching orders along with his second reserving of the match. This opened up the chance because the decimated Blasters gave the impression to be shedding their plan. ATK Bagan received the decisive lead within the 71st minute when a cross from the hardworking winger Ashish Rai noticed Manvir Singh setting it up for McHugh. The Irish midfielder despatched a rasping half-volley dwelling to safe the complete quota of factors for Mohun Bagan.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com