Atlético de Kolkata rode goals from Arata Izumi and Javi Lara as they won their first home game of the second season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) in front of 61,237 people at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Izumi gave ATK the lead in the first period before Lara scored another at the beginning of the second to put his side into a commanding position. Chris Dagnall’s first goal for Kerala Blasters FC made for a frantic finish to the game which also saw Mehtab Hossain receiving his marching orders for a second yellow.
Atlético de Kolkata should have taken the lead five minutes into the game when a belter of a strike from Javi Lara rattled Kerala Blasters FC’s post. The champions though would not have to wait long for the break-through.
They went on to take the lead a minute later when Izumi followed up a shot from Iain Hume to convert and make it two goals in as many starts for his side as Atlético went up 1-0, much to the delight of the home support.
The hosts took complete control of the match after the opener and made it difficult for the Blasters to get on the ball. Skipper Borja Fernandez almost doubled their lead at the half-hour mark when his dipping volley from 30 yards almost sneaked into Kerala’s goal.
The visitors grew into the game during the last 15 minutes of the half when Sanchez Watt took his side’s first shot of the match on goal. A Hossain volley a few minutes later called Kolkata’s keeper Juan Calatayud into action as Kerala began to assert themselves.
The yellow army should have drawn level in the 42nd minute after a pacey ball from the right was just beyond the reach of an on-rushing Dagnall whose desperate stretch to get a foot on the ball came up short.
ATK re-established their control of the game towards the end of the half. The right side of Kerala’s defence found it increasingly difficult to contend with Lara on the left as Atlético safely negotiated four minutes of extra time at the end of the first period to maintain their narrow 1-0 advantage at half-time.
Kerala Blasters FC head coach Peter Taylor decided to freshen things up at the break, bringing on Victor Pulga to replace Josu Currias in midfield. Not long after that Lara ran through Kerala’s defence going past Bruno Perone as if he wasn’t there to double ATK’s lead (in the 53rd minute) and score the 25th goal of Hero ISL 2015.
The goal seemed to take the sting out of Kerala’s attack as Atlético looked comfortable on the ball and made it tough for the Blasters to get a kick in. Atlético dominated possession and ran Kerala Blasters FC ragged.
Kerala, however, didn’t not go down without a fight. A cross from the right from skipper Peter Ramage was bundled over the line by Dagnall in the 80th minute to reduce the deficit and make it a nervy last ten minutes for the home side.
Watt should have made it 2-2 a minute later but his powerful left-footed shot was tipped over by Calatayud to hold onto their slender one-goal lead. It was all hands on deck from here on in as Kolkata fell deeper and deeper into their own half looking to protect the lead.
The home-side breathed a sigh of relief in the 89th minute when Hossain was sent off by the referee for picking up a second yellow card after a late tackle on substitute Valdo as Atlético head coach Habas urged his men to make their man advantage count and run down the clock.
Kerala could still have equalized despite being a man down in the four minutes of additional time as they threw everything but the kitchen sink at Atlético’s goal. Goalkeeper Calatayud though stood firm and safely negotiated two efforts from Dagnall and a long range shot from CK Vineeth to send his side to the top of the league.
