Welcome to Sportstar's ISL 2020-21 highlights of the ATK Mohun Bagan and Kerala Blasters FC clash at the Fatorda Stadium on Sunday.
That brings us to the end of our ISL coverage for the day. We will be back tomorrow with the live coverage of the clash between Odisha FC and Jamshedpur FC. Until then, it's goodnight from us!
MATCH REPORT|
Podcast - The merger between ATK and Mohun Bagan for ISL 2020-21 seemed like a match made in heaven, but fans didn't look pleased. Our reporters Shyam Vasudevan, Aashin Prasad and Amitabha Das Sharma delve into the reasons behind fans' displeasure and the raging hashtag #RemoveATK in the latest episode of 'The Full Time Show'.
Follow Sportstar's full coverage (Latest news, Interviews, Features, Points table, Quiz, Videos) of ISL 2020-21 .
Contrasting emotions on both sides. Here's what they had to say about the result
Roy Krishna on the turning the game around
We had this belief from the pre-season itself. We had to get the goal despite being down and it's great that we got the result we wanted.
On playing with Marcelinho:
Its good to have him. He is more comfortable on the ball and it was great playing with him.
Is it ATKMB's best win this season?
No, I think we had better wins in the season where we got a goal in the final minutes of the match.
Marcelinho on scoring the goal and reaching 50 goal contributions:
I cant describe how great I'm feeling. I can't thank the coach and players enough who received me like a family member and trusted me which helped me to play football.
KBFC coach, Kibu Vicuna
On his discussion with the match officials after full-time: Im very frustrated. We are here to have a good attitude and be a good team. But being good seems to be bad. There are other benches which have disrespectful behaviour, but I think Im just trying to be respectful enough towards the officials.
On the result: I think we have played well, but the I think they got a couple of easy decisions. I think it was not a fair result. Congratulations to ATK Mohun Bagan but I am upset because they have not been fair to us.
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FULL-TIME: ATK MOHUN BAGAN 3-2 KERALA BLASTERS FC
What an incredible game of football! ATKMB was staring at a definite defeat after falling behind by 0-2 in the 51st minute following goals from Gary Hooper and Costa Nhamoinesu. But in the matter of six minutes, the Mariners turned the game around as Manvir Singh's lobbed pass in the 59th minute allowed Marcelinho to lift it over Albino Gomes and in the 65th minute a handball by Kerala skipper Jessel Carneiro inside the box allowed Roy Krishna to equalize from the spot. The Fijian completed an emphatic comeback for the Kolkata side when he latched onto a loose ball in the 87th minute to bend it into the far corner. Nine players received yellow cards overall at the toe end of the game. The win keeps ATKMB second in the ISL table while cutting down Mumbai City FC's lead to 3 points at the top while Blasters stay ninth on 15 points.
90+6' SHOT! Kerala throws the kitchen sink as Gomez whips a dangerous ball from a free kick on the left. Sahal lays it off for Juande in the centre who is blocked by Tiri. The ball falls for Sandeep who sends a blazing strike which narrowly misses the post. That could've been a dramatic equaliser.
90+4' Close! Krishna almost has his hat-trick as he runs free through the right side and tries to lift it over the keeper but Sandeep does brilliantly to block the effort.
90+2' Desperation from Kerala. Sahal clips Prabir Das from behind to become the ninth player to be booked by the referee.
89' Uh-oh! There is a melee just outside the Kerala box after Krishna is brought down by Gomez. It takes some time to pull both sets of players apart as the referee dishes out yellow cards to Pranoy Haldar, Rahul KP, Gary Hooper and Carl McHugh. Krishna also goes into the book for his shirtless celebration few minutes earlier.
87' KRISHNA PUTS ATKMB AHEAD! What an incredible turnaround for the Mariners. A clearance from the back is missed by Prasanth as Krishna races past Sandeep and curls the ball into the far corner. The Fijian is absolutely delighted and why not.
86' CHANCE! A poor clearance from Kerala allows Krishna to tee up Hernandez on the edge of the box as the Spaniard curls it over the top corner.
84' A long pass from the left wing has Gomes scampering to clear the ball but the Kerala custodian only manages to palm it away for a ATKMB throw-in.
82' CLOSE! Sahal receives the ball on the edge of the penalty area from Rahul as he goes for placement at the near bottom corner. However, the midfielder's shot was tame as it goes wide off the post.
81' Marcelinho makes way for Javi Hernandez after putting in a brilliant shift in the second half with his team's first goal and a lethal corner kick which almost found the back of the net.
79' K. Prasanth comes to replace captain Jessel Carneiro. Sahal and Prabir get into a tussle for a switch pass at on the left as Kerala wins a corner. ATKMB defence clears but it falls for Gomez is closed out by Krishna as the Mariners win a goal kick.
77' Nhamoinesu gets a booking for remonstrating with the referee following a tussle between Krishna and Gomez.
75' McHugh is booked for a petulant foul on Rahul. ATKMB wins a corner as Marcelinho bends a dangerous ball at the near post which Manvir pounces on, but is off the target.
73' Manvir's pace is too much for Kerala's defence as he shakes off Jessel and crosses into the box from the right. Marcelinho, who is in the centre plays a dummy as McHugh gets on the end of it and blasts it over the post!
69' Danger! Kerala is struggling to get hold of the ball as Nhamoinesu tries to muscle Manvir off the ball inside the area and plays a dangerous back pass to Gomes. Manvir almost gets to the ball but Gomes gathers it in the nick of the time.
67' A free kick in a dangerous area has the Kerala defence under immense pressure. It is unable to clear the lines as Sandeep sends a dangerous back pass to his keeper as Gomes gives away a corner kick.
64' PENALTY AND GOAL ATKMB! A battle inside the box sees Manvir's header fall on Carneiro's hand as the referee points to the spot. Roy Krishna doesn't waste the chance as he blasts it into the left corner to pull the Mariners level. We have a thriller on the cards.
63' CHANCE! That is a great chance for ATKMB to go level. Manvir is at the end of a clearance from Gomes but he hesitates a bit on the turn and the chance is wasted.
61' McHugh tries to find Krishna in the middle with a curling cross from the byline but Gomes cuts it out midair. ATKMB is in a hurry. Jayesh Rane goes off to make way for Komal Thatal.
59' GOAL MARCELINHO! A superb ball from Manvir Singh finds Marcelinho on side as he makes a run through the middle and lifts it over the goalkeeper to pull one back from the Mariners. A brilliant finish from the Brazilian.
57' Roy Krishna makes space on the edge of the area and drills a low shot at the near post but Gomes makes a comfortable save.
55' Kerala is hungry for more. Sandeep blitzes away on the right hand side as ATKMB defenders fail to clear the lines. Arindam makes a last-ditch effort with a low save for a corner.
53' Brilliant from Gomes! A long clearance from McHugh has Krishna chasing it. He outpaces the goalscorer Nhamoinesu as goalkeeper Gomes rushes far outside the penalty area to clear the ball with a diving header.
51' KERALA SCORES! Sahal bends the corner at the far post as Arindam is unable to get it clear as Nhamoinesu jumps over Tiri and Kotal to get it into the back of the net. Its a scrappy goal, but Kerala will not be bothered by a 2-0 lead.
50' The ball recovery and movement from Kerala has been exemplary. Sandeep wins the ball on the right and sends a low cross into the box which is not cleared by ATKMB. Rahul brings it down and shoots through a crowd of defenders as the Kerala wins a corner.
48' Kotal clatters into Sahal giving away a free kick at the halfway line. However, the diagonal hit from Jessel goes over the line. Gomez plays a backheel lob to find Jessel on the left flank but Halder cuts it out.
46' Second half begins! ATKMB rings in a double change sending in Pronay Halder and Manvir Singh for Sumit Rathi and Sahil Sheikh.
HALF-TIME: ATK MOHUN BAGAN 0-1 KERALA BLASTERS
Kerala Blasters has pushed ATK Mohun Bagan on the back foot from the get go and reaped the rewards. It has pressed high up the pitch which put ATKMB's wide men under pressure while its transition from defence to attack have been electrifying. Gary Hooper's stunning goal in the 14th minute from 40-yards out has given Kibu Vicuna's a deserved lead. ATKMB's new signing Marcelinho looked dangerous with his runs in the beginning but his influence waned away as the clocked ticked on.
45+2' Pritam Kotal finds Rathi with a diagonal ball but Kerala wins back the ball and counters quickly. Rahul loses his balance inside the box but manages to find Sahal on the edge of the box. Carneiro tries to cross into the box but his delivery is over the goal post.
44' Marcelinho gets to the byline after receiving a through ball from Sahil. However, his cross is poor as it is straight at Gomes as Krishna looks disappointed by the attempt.
42' Shot! Kerala is full of confidence and its showing. Murray spots Rahul in space on the right and passes it to him. The midfielder hits a knuckleball which swerves dangerously but Arindam spots it from the distance and collects is calmly.
40' Sahal does well to track back as he combines with Nhamoinesu to stop Prabir's attempted cross into the box. He tries to take the ball outside the box but is blocked by McHugh.
38' The distribution from Gomes has been excellent so far. A long clearances from the custodian have been reaching ATKMB defenders, but the high press has allowed Kerala to win the second ball.
36' That could've been a free kick for ATKMB. Juande pulls at Krishna's shirt few yards outside the box, leaving the striker frustrated and slower to the ball as Gomes rushes ahead to collect the ball.
34' Kerala has shut down the wide areas which is making life difficult for wing-backs Rathi and Prabir. Rahul blocks Rathi in his tracks while Gomez runs in to support his teammate.
30' SAVE! Arindam comes to ATKMB's rescue. The custodian gets down quickly to deflect Murray's shot from point-blank. Its end-to-end stuff at Fatorda. The telepathic understanding between Murray and Hoope has been electrifying in the past few games.
29' Shot! Roy Krishna creates space on the edge of the box as he curls a shot at the near post but Gomes is in good position to hold on to it.
26' ATKMB wins a corner after Rathi's cross is blocked by Sandeep. Kerala clears the initial delivery but Prabir Das gathers the second ball and crosses into the box for Krishna who is free. The Fijian gets a header away but Gomes is not troubled.
24' Another dangerous cross from Rahul. The midfielder sends a fizzing cross into the box which reaches Hooper's head who dives low to get a shot away, but its too easy for Arindam.
22' The pressing from Kerala's full-backs is causing ATKMB all sorts of problems. Rahul escapes a tackle from Rathi to find Murray in the middle but the tackle from Juande on McHugh foils the move.
19' Almost a second wonder goal! Kerala has pushed higher up the pitch as Carneiro hits a cross into the centre which is brought down by Murray as he tries to copy his teammates curling goal but misses the post by a good distance.
16' ATKMB looks rattled by that goal while Kerala is looking bullish. Sahal goes in for a tackle with Sahil and almost wins the ball but the referee awards a free kick to ATKMB.
14' WHAT A GOAL FROM HOOPER! Sandeep Singh crosses into the centre to Gary Hooper who chests it down and curls the ball into the top corner from 40-yards out. It has to be one of the best goals of the season so far.
11' Murray latches on to a long clearance from the back but is flagged offside. ATKMB reaches the box as Rane takes a shot from a difficult angle which is parried away by Gomes. The save falls for Marcelinho, who takes the shot but Nhamoinesu puts in a vital block.
8' A sloppy back pass from Juande has Marcelinho with a good chance. Nhamoinesu is unsure if he had to clear the ball as Gomes mops the loose ball. Both teams are yet to settle in.
5' CHANCE! Terrible defending from Tiri. The centre-back fails to get a back pass to the goalkeeper as Murray robs the ball off him and waits for support. He cuts it back to Sahal, who hesitates for a moment before pulling the trigger. Jhingan does well to put in block.
3' Sandeep Singh curls a los cross into the box as Jhingan hacks it away to safety. Carneiro clashes with Jhingan inside the box for a header as KBFC wins a corner which is cleared comfortably by ATKMB.
1' Kick-off! ATKMB begins the proceedings from right to left. Marcelinho is right on the act as he chases a throughball from Prabir Das but Albino Gomes reads and intercepts it quickly.
7.25 PM: The players are out on the pitch at the Fatorda Stadium!
7.15 PM: Hyderabad FC moved to third in the table with a 2-0 win over Chennaiyin. Catch the full highlights:
6.30 PM: Line-ups are out!
ATK Mohun Bagan (3-5-2)
Arindam Bhattacharja (GK), Pritam Kotal, Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan; Sumit Rathi, Prabir Das, Carl McHugh, Sahil Sheikh, Jayesh Rane; Marcelinho, Roy Krishna.
OUT: David Williams, Javi Hernandez IN: Sahil Sheikh, Marcelinho
Kerala Blasters FC (4-4-2)
Albino Gomes (GK); Sandeep Singh, Jeakson Singh, Costa Nhamoinesu, Jessel Carneiro; Rahul KP, Juande,Vicente Gomez, Sahal Abdul Samad; Jordan Murray, Gary Hooper.
OUT: Bakary Kone, Rohit Kumar IN: Jeakson Singh, Rahul KP
6.15 PM: Sahal Abdul Samad's return to the pitch has sparked a new hope among fans. Here's our take on the playermaker's importance to the team -
6.00 PM: From Jackichand Singh's return to Mumbai to Jamshedpur's woeful run, here are the big talking points from the week gone by:
5.45 PM: Predicted Line-ups
Kerala Blasters (4-4-2)
Albino Gomes; Sandeep Singh, Bakary Kone, Costa Nhamoinesu, Jessel Carneiro; Sahal Abdul Samad, Rohit Kumar, Vicente Gomez, Lalthathanga Khawlhring; Jordan Murray, Gary Hooper.
ATK Mohun Bagan (3-5-2)
Arindam Bhattacharja; Prabir Das, Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan; Subhasish Bose, Carl McHugh, Pritam Kotal, Javier Hernandez, Pronay Halder; Manvir Singh, Roy Krishna.
5.30 PM: Podcast - The merger between ATK and Mohun Bagan for ISL 2020-21 seemed like a match made in heaven, but fans didn't look pleased. Our reporters Shyam Vasudevan, Aashin Prasad and Amitabha Das Sharma delve into the reasons behind fans' displeasure and the raging hashtag #RemoveATK in the latest episode of 'The Full Time Show'.
Follow Sportstar's full coverage (Latest news, Interviews, Features, Points table, Quiz, Videos) of ISL 2020-21 .
MATCH PREVIEW:
ATK Mohun Bagan will have a chance to cut Mumbai City's lead at the top to three points when it takes on Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) match at the Fatorda Stadium on Sunday.
Antonio Habas' side has witnessed a dip in form, notching just two wins in its last five games. The Mariners lost to NorthEast United in their previous encounter and will be eager to get points in the bag when they take on Kerala Blasters, which is unbeaten in five games.
Kibu Vicuna's men have scored seven goals in their last five games and are still in contention for a top-four berth, trailing fourth-placed NorthEast United by six points. ATK Mohun Bagan won 1-0 the last time the two sides clashed on the opening day of ISL 2020-21.
"Kerala Blasters are a good opponent. I think they had a possibility to win in the last match [against them] and we needed a lot of effort, discipline and intelligence to win that tie. They have improved a lot. But we have to think about our game and not think about them," Habas said ahead of the game.
Having roped in Marcelinho on loan from Odisha FC, Habas hopes his side's attack can step up.
"We were improving our performance and our creation of chances in the last few matches but we have to continue with the same purpose. After the first few matches and the first few rounds of the league, the team consolidated the system and the idea. Now we have to increase our attacking performance," he said.
Referring to the last time the two sides clashed, Vicuna said: "It was a question of one detail (defensive mistake), not that they were better than us. Now the circumstances are different. ATKMB is the former champion and they are second. They have fantastic players and a good coach. It's going to be a difficult challenge for us."
He added, “For us, we played only four games in December and we are playing eight in January. But I think the team is improving and we have more confidence. We are competing very well against every team and now we have very tough two games against the two best teams in the competition [Mumbai City up next]. We must give our best if we want to succeed in these two matches.”
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The seventh edition of the Indian Super League got underway inside a bio-bubble in Goa on November 20.
The tournament, spanning over four months, will see 11 teams play each other in a league and playoff format across three venues. Following the inclusion of SC East Bengal, this season will feature 115 games, up from 95 last season.
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