Kerala Blasters vs Punjab FC highlights, KBFC 1-2 PFC, ISL 2024-25: Shers steal three points as Mrzljak scores late winner

Kerala Blasters starts it season with loss as Punjab FC notches a 2-1 win at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. 

KBFC booking: Rahul KP gets a yellow card for his reckless challenge on Majcen. 

PFC booking: Bakenga also sees yellow for getting involved in the tussle from the bench. 

Rahul KP barges into Luka Majcen and that is an extremely reckless challenge from the Blasters player. As expected, the camps get involved in a tussle, while the referee looks to bring the tense situation under control. 

Luka Majcen shows immaculate vision to find Mrzljak inside the box, and the latter slides to put the ball inside the net from a tight angle. Kerala must have thought that one point is guaranteed after Jimenez’s equaliser but the evening goes from bad to worse for the Blasters. 

Pritam Kotal swings an excellent cross from the right flank under pressure. Second-half substitute Jimenez gets at the end of the cross and heads the ball home for a late equaliser. The roof comes down at the Nehru Stadium. 

Six minutes added at the end of the second-half!

KBFC sub: IN- Meitei OUT- Saheef

PFC booking: Luka Majcen has seen a yellow card for taking off his shirt after converting the penalty. But he won’t mind that. 

Luka Majcen lashes a shot in the bottom left corner and keeper Sachin Suresh was a mere spectator as the ball flew in. An Onam heartbreak for the Kerala Blasters? Stahre’s men do not have much time to bag an equaliser. 

Penalty for Punjab - Leon Augustine is fouled inside the box and Punjab has a late penalty and a chance to steal three points. 

PFC subs: IN- Suljic, Shabong OUT- Vidal, Sudeesh 

KBFC booking: Pritam Kotal sees a yellow card for holding back Majcen. 

KBFC sub: IN- Aiban OUT- Sandeep 

PFC sub: IN- Augustine OUT- Vinit 

KBFC sub: IN- Azhar OUT- Lallawmawma

PFC booking: Nihal sees a yellow card for his challenge on Noah. 

PFC sub: IN- Majcen OUT- Bakenga

Pritam Kotal with a wayward shot from distance this time, which is nowhere near the target. It has been a lacklustre performance by the home team so far. 

Vibin sends the ball to Noah, who takes a shot from distance. The Moroccan catches the shot really well but Ravi gets down quickly to make the save. 

Coeff takes a wayward shot from distance, which ends up being blocked. Kerala’s frustrating night continues. 

Noah crosses from the left with the intention of finding Jimenez inside the box. However, the Punjab defence prevents the Blasters forward from getting a proper touch. 

KBFC subs: IN- Jimenez, Vibin OUT- Peprah, Aimen

The second-half starts at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Scores level at 0-0. 

It was a frustrating half of football, especially for home team Kerala Blasters as the match remains goalless at the break. 

Two minutes added at the end of the first-half!

Bekenga is fed a good through ball from the edge of the box and he does well to dink the ball inside the net past Sachin. However, the assistant referee raises his flag for offside and the match remains goalless. 

Vinit Rai’s aimless cross inside the box speaks volumes about the level of football in this match till now. One can hope the tempo increases in the second-half. Till now, it has been a midfield battle with hardly any chances created. 

Noah whips a cross inside the box from the right flank. Aimen looks to use the pace of the cross and direct it goalwards but cannot make a proper contact with the ball. 

Sudeesh makes a darting run and tries to carry the ball inside the Kerala box but Sandeep stops the former in his stride with an excellent sliding challenge. 

Filip Mrzljak comes close to finding the net from a corner but fails to keep his effort on target as it goes above the goal - albeit not by much. 

It has been a drab outing for both teams till now, with neither team creating any major chances. 

Noah almost finds Rahul KP on the right side of the Punjab box with an excellent through ball. However, the Moroccan slightly overcooks his pass and Rahul fails to reach the ball. 

Vidal’s cross into the Kerala box is dealt with and the home team launches a counter-attack. However, it comes to an end after Aimen fails to get the ball to Noah, who had made an excellent run to his left. 

Rahul KP’s cuts in and tries to shoot from distance, but sees his effort blocked. However, the rebound falls kindly for Aimen, who has time and space to shoot. In the end, he opts to shoot from an ambitious distance but fails to generate any power in his shot. Punjab keeper Ravi Kumar collects the ball without fuss. 

Rahul KP was played a good through ball on the right flank. He had a chance to ping a good cross inside the box. However, the player fails to keep the ball in play and Punjab gerts a goalkick. 

It has been a midfield-heavy game till now, with neither team threatening in the final third. It should open up as the match progresses. 

Vinit Rai has an early go at goal, taking a goal from an ambitious distance. However, the shot misses the target by a considerable distance. 

Kerala Blasters and Punjab FC’s season opener is underway as the first-half kick-off at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. 

Played: 3

Kerala Blasters wins: 2

Draws: 0

Punjab FC win: 1

Kerala Blasters will open its Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season with a home match against Punjab FC at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday. 

Despite letting go of Dimitrios Diamantakos, the ISL’s top scorer last season, the Blasters scored plenty of goals in the pre-season in Thailand. In the Durand Cup, its Moroccan forward Noah Sadaoui took the Golden Boot award, and Kerala’s new head coach Mikael Stahre will be hoping Sadaoui and Spaniard Jesus Nunez continue their fine form in the season-opener against Punjab.

Read full preview below

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ISL 2024-25: New-look Kerala Blasters aims positive start in its season opener against Punjab FC

Punjab beat the Blasters 3-1 in Kochi in its debut ISL year last season, and the two finished level 1-1 in the recent Durand Cup.

When and where is the Kerala Blasters vs Punjab FC ISL 2024-25 match kicking-off?

The Kerala Blasters vs Punjab FC ISL 2024-25 match will kick-off at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday, September 15 at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. 

Where can you watch the Kerala Blasters vs Punjab FC ISL 2024-25 match?

The Kerala Blasters vs Punjab FC ISL 2024-25 match will be live telecast on the Sports18 network.

The match will also be live streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website.