It was match Day 10, and a super Sunday as some would like to call it with 2 ISL matches in one day. The second of which was of course the Southern Derby, the war between the two rivals down South in India, Chennaiyin FC vs Kerala Blasters FC.
The match though was ofcourse not as intense on the gallery because of the empty stands but it was an intense game on the pitch, where both the teams went all out for 3points.
After a hard fought 90minutes though, none of the teams could be separated, though a missed opportunity from the Penalty spot would be something to be sad about from a Chennaiyin fan’s perspective, as converting that would have surely given them the vital 3points against their arch rivals.
Let’s look at how the players performed and how much ratings they’ve earned for today’s game:
Kerala Blasters FC:
Kerala Blasters though fortunate to have not conceeded tonight but would also be considering themselves unfortunate at the same time for not being able to score a goal.
While their wingers and midfielders were trying everything possible to create opportunities but their strikers clearly failed to make the most of those chances.
Amidst all the hustle, the best player for the day for Kerala was Albino Gomes. A few nervy moments in the starting phases of the game but since then he was a pillar under goal for Kerala Blasters.
Cido gave away a penalty to Chennaiyin, which, more than a miss could be called a wonderful save from Albino, along with a few more cruicial saves at the back.
Kerala fans and coach Kibu Vicuna would surely not be happy with 2 points after 3 games played, but they would be glad enough to have one of their fan favorite and talented youngster, Rahul KP back on the pitch.
Ratings:
Albino Gomes – 8.5:
A stellar performance under the Kerala Goal, which covered up a few minor mistakes, and Albino Gomes ended up bagging the Hero of the Match award for the night.
Nishu Kumar – 6.5:
Nishu undoubtedly is one of the great young talents in Indian Football. Playing at right back, he was quite decent in the game last night, but was no where close to what we have seen from him over the years.
Kone – 7.5, and Costa – 7.5:
Nothing much to be said about one of the center backs separately, as both of them have been a rock at the back for Kerala Blasters, from game 1. With match saving tackles and wonderful control over play, Kone and Costa are already the heart throbs of Kerala Blasters’ fans.
Denechandra Meitei – 7.5:
Denechandra was a player to get his first start this season in the Indian Super League. It might have been a surprise for many to see Meitei fit in the left back position ahead of a certain Jessel Carneiro or Lalruathhara, but at the same time, he was a surprise package in himself too. Solid at the back, with good passing and presence of mind, Meitei was no doubt an attention holder on the left side of the pitch.
Rohit Kumar – 7.5:
Another young man, doing the defensive work above midfield as well as contributing in attack, Rohit Kumar has been quite impressive with his touches, ideas, and workload in the midfield.
Cido – 7:
Sergio Cidoncha, commonly known as Cido, like always, has been a man whom every spectator would love watching over and over again. But luck has not been so great for the man lately, as he was one of the reasons to concede a goal in the first match and was also the one who gave away a penalty in today’s game, which Albino stood up to, for saving his side. Apart from which, Cido was absolutely a wonderful player to watch on the pitch.
Seityasen Singh – 7:
Seityasen had a decent game on the wings along with some good deliveries in the box from free-kicks and corners, along with which he also kept switching with Naorem, to play on both sides of the field with equal amount of consistency on both sides.
Facundo – 6.5:
Another name you, especially as a Kerala fan would be expecting a lot more from. Facundo was decent in the game with good workload and efforts but eventually not exactly what fans would expect.
Nongdomba Naorem – 6.5:
A name which is roaming around in every footballing region of India, is Nongdomba Naorem. From his solo goal dribbling past 5, to his I-League Triumph with Mohun Bagan, Naorem has been someone whom fans would look up to, for some major contributions to the team. Naorem had a decent game but then again was not the Naorem we would generally see on pitch.
Hooper – 6.5:
Hooper has been quite disappointing in terms of goal scoring so far because he is the key striker for the team. He made his efforts but at the end none were enough to get Kerala the goal they would have liked to see from him.
SUBSTITUTES: Jessel Carneiro – 7, Murray – unrated, Jeakson Singh – 6, Prasanth K- 6.5, Rahul KP – 7.