Kerala Blasters 3-4 Gokulam Kerala Highlights: GKFC beats KBFC to win Kerala Derby in Durand Cup 2023

Gokulam Kerala secured its second win in a row in the Durand Cup with a 4-3 in over Kerala Blasters in the Kerala derby.

With hardly two minutes left in the game, KBFC will still have a chance to make it to the quarterfinals, with two games pending for the Blasters. GKFC, on the other hand, will be invreasingly confident, with one foot in the quarters.

Kerala Blasters gets a free-kick outside the box and Luna steps up for it. His left-footer flies just over the nets.

Gokulam Kerala won its first game comfortabley. Here, however, it was made to work for every point. Though it scored four goals so far, KBFC has been equallyy competitive, pulling three goals back in the contest.

Nii Perdomo tries to start Gokulam Kerala’s attack against the run of play but KBFC’s Prabir Das comes to his team;s rescue, clearing the ball out of danger.

Shilton Silva replaces Gokulam Kerala captain Alex Silva as the Malabarians look to run out the game wherein KBFC has refused to give up, with the score 4-3 at the moment.

Kerala Blasters is building smoothly from the back, with Hormipam passing it to Prabir, who then gets it to Luna. But Sourav intercepts for Gokulam Kerala getting the ball in the fina third but his shot is off-target.

In: Akhil P, Out: Bouba

Kerala Blasters attacks on the counter yet again. This time Hormipam, Bidhayshagar and Luna combine with Bidhyashagar making amends of the previous miss with a set-up for Luna, who shoot right into the net.

Rahul KP crosses in a ball with his head for Bidhayshagar, who misses a shot on the volley and then misses a second time in front of Sachin Suresh to sky the ball off target.

As match resumes after the second cooling break, the Blasters remain on the prowl for two more goals but Gokulam is maintaining a well-knit defence to run out the 20 odd minutes left in this game.

Kerala Blasters go for an attack with Rahul KP crossing from the right. Gokulam clears it only as far as Danish Farooq, who shoots with his second touch but this strike is also blocked by GKFC.

Kerala Blasters makes two changes as it looks to take a more attacking approach in the final quarter of the game. Jeakson Singh and Justine are replaced by Danish Farooq and Bidyashagar Singh.

Luna takes the free-kick which lands into the gloves of the Gokulam Kerala.

The match has become more of a cat and mouse contest with KBFC trying to find spaces in the Gokulam defence as the side, with a two-goal cushion looks to limit chances for goals.

Kerala Blasters has brght on Hormipam, who had impressed with Leskovic as centre-backs in the Indian Super League season. Meanwhile, KBFC goes in an attack with Justine, who has already scores a goal, trying to find the net from distance.

His shot, however, is just wide.

In: Rahul KP, Hormipam, Out: Nihal, Bijoy

In: Rahul Raju, Noufal, Sourav, Out: Abhijith, Sreekuttan, Shijin

Aimen makes a great run into the box, turns with the ball stuck to his feet and crosses for Prabir Das, who slots it home to sore the second goal for Kerala Blasters.

Gokulam. having got a goal from a long-ranger, tries another hit. This time, Sreekuttan shoots from the left flank on target but Sachin Suresh catches the ball comfortably.

Gokulam tries another attack along the right flank and Shijin tries to beat his marker to set Alex up in front. But Shijin goes to the ground, appealing for a foul, but the referee is not interested.

Alex Sanchez gets the ball to Abhijith in the centre and the No. 42 shoots a bullet of a shot from outside the box, rattling the net. And Kerala Blasters’ hopes for a win looks almost done and dusted.

Kerala Blasters will look to reduce the two-goal deificit by GKFC is looking more dangerous.

Goals from Bouba, Sreekuttan and captain Alex Sanchez sees Gokulam Kerala sit on the driving seat after the first half.

Vikas threads a through ball to the midfield and Nili Pedromo passes it to Alex Sanchez, who beats his marker to score Gokulam Kerala’s third goal of the match.

Pedromo gets the ball in the KBFC box, passes to Alex Sanchez on his right. The GKFC captain crosses it to Sreekuttan, who had made a run into the box as the winger heads the ball into the net

Pritam Kotal tries to deliver a long ball -- the way AnwarAli delivers for the national team -- but he overshoots it as it goes out of play for a GKFC goal-kick.

Prabir gets a cross in from the right flank for Aimen, who was closing in but Vikas heads it out for corner. It is headed out for another corner on the other side. Luna’s corner is headed over the net by Bijoy.

Adrian Luna takes the free-kick, which is first saved by Tmawia but Aimen heads it on the follow-up. It hits the woodwork and then Justine rushes into the melee in the penalty box to get the equaliser in this Kerala derby.

Kerala Blasters looses the ball in the midfield and GKFC captain Alex Sanchez chases it and almost gets the btter of KBFC goalkeeper Sachin Suresh, only to see Sachin get the better of him. The goalie kicks the ball long.

Another attempt to score from the set-piecess for GKFC. Pedromo whips in the corner kick, which is headed away by the Blasters defence.

Justine gets the ball in the final third with a quick run, crosses for Luna in the centre, to his left but Tmawia intercepts to deny the equaliser and keep the score 1-0 to his side.

Aimen tries to make a run along the left flank but before he crosses, Basit beings him down. The referee feels the touch was not strong enough for a KBFC free-kick.

Krala Blasters switches play with Naocha crossing it to Prabir Das from left to right. But the final cross is intercepted and played out for a KBFC corner. Luna takes the corner and Justine heads it just off-target.

KBFC gets a free-kick and Luna steps up to take it. He aims for Kotal but Gokulam has one player marking him well enough to intercept and clear the ball.

Nili Pedromo takes the corner kick - a right footed curler, which is headed into the net by Bouba to put Gokulam Kerala ahead.

Aimen oversteps GKFC’s No. 4 as Gokulam gets a free-kick in its penalty box. Tmawia kicks the ball long to get his team up in attack.

Kerala Blasters goes for a counter attack, with small passes and Aimen shoots on the volley from outside the box. Gokulam, however, blocks it right there.

The Blasters have used Prabir as an important player along the flanks. The former Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC player is creating all sorts of trouble to march into the GKFC final third.

Kerala Blasters builds from the back. Kotal gets the ball to Prabir and gets it back and the dlivers the ball through to the other flank, on his left. Luna gets to it to pass to Naocha, whose cross is intercepted and cleared by GKFC.

Pedromo takes the free-kick for GKFC. He aims Alex in the KBFC box but the Blasters manage to clear the ball away.

Tmawia, the GKFC goalkeeper is keeping Kerala Blasters’ attack at bay with key interceptions in the box as KBFC continues to struggle to find a space.

Kerala Blasters is trying to keep possession in its half, trying to build from the back. However Gokulam is making quick runs to start a counter attack.

The Durand Cup match between KBFC and GKFC is underway. Kerala Blasters starts from right to left whileGokulam starts from the other end.

Kerala Blasters starts with its conventional 4-4-2 formation with Luna playing as a forward while Gokulam Kerala starts with a 4-3-3 shape with Alex playing as the centre-forward.

The players walk out of the tunnel and the match will start in a few minutes. The warm-ups are done. The coaches are ready and so are the fans around the world to see the first-ever Kerala derby in the Durand Cup.

Kerala Blasters has finished as the runner-up in the Indian Super League on three occasions but has failed towin any major trophy so far. Gokulam Kerala, on the other hand, had won the I-League twice and the Durand Cup once. It is the second team from the state to win the tournament.

Kerala Blasters and Gokulam Kerala have never met in senior men’s football. This will be a chance for either side to earn bragging rights as the two sides clash in the Durand Cup fixture today.

Gokulam Kerala: Salam, Saurabh, Vikas, Sreekuttan, Borges, Bouba, Zothanmawia, Shijin, Basit, Sanchez, Abhijit

Kerala Blasters: Sachin Suresh, Pritam Kotal, Bijoy V, Prabir Das, Huidrom Naocha Singh, Mohammed Azhar, Jeakson Singh, Nihal Sudeesh, Justine, Adrian Luna

Kerala Blasters FC will open its 2023-24 campaign with the Kerala derby, going up against rival Gokulam Kerala in the Durand Cup at the Mohun Bagan Ground in Kolkata on Sunday.

The Blasters, which last played its full-strength squad (with foreigners) in the Indian Super League, saw its ISL campaign come to an end, following a controversial walkout against Bengaluru FC in the knockouts, will hope to start a new chapter in this Group C game.

Under head coach Ivan Vukoamanovic, KBFC has qualified for ISL knockouts in consecutive seasons for the first time and will hope the Serbian can lead it to its first trophy.

On the other hand, Gokulam Kerala, the Durand Cup 2019 champion will come into the match after a 2-0 win against the Indian Air Force Football Team in its opening game.

The two teams have never faced each other at the national level in senior football and the game would present an opportunity for either side to gain supremacy as the best team in the state.

With defending champion Bengaluru FC waiting in the wings for both sides, the contest will not just be a derby but a chance for either side to bank on its hopes for the quarterfinals.