Jamshedpur FC secured a 3-2 home win over Kerala Blasters, helping itself up to sixth on the ISL table after 12 matches. Bartholomew Ogbeche's 87th-minute own-goal proved decisive, with Jamshedpur twice coming from behind to equalise.
Sportstar reviews the key aspects of the match.
Highlights:
Mohamad Rakip shines for Kerala Blasters
Solid in his tackles and displaying a good reading of the game, Rakip, the Kerala Blasters right-back, produced a near-perfect performance on Sunday.
Rakip's positioning and sense of danger helped him keep the likes of Noe Acosta, who operated on his side of the pitch, at bay, while staying a step ahead of his opponents in 1v1 duels.
While Kerala's 3-2 loss paints a different picture of its defence, Rakip will take a lot of confidence from his display.
Bad day for defences
Individual errors, poor marking, attackers finding themselves in opposition boxes: these were, in a nutshell, the reasons for the match producing five goals.
Acosta's equaliser in the first half was arguably the only goal that came through quality attacking play with Aitor Monroy crossing for the Spaniard to finish.
Bikash Jairu was primarily at fault for Messi Bouli's opener, while Ogbeche turned the ball into his own net in the 87th minute to help Jamshedpur secure the three points, twice coming back from a goal down. Messi himself handled the ball in the area while Kerala Blasters was defending a corner, resulting in a penalty that Sergio Castel tucked away with ease.
While the three points were crucial in Jamshedpur's push for a playoff spot, its defending against Kerala left a lot to be desired, the same being true for Eelco Schattorie's side.
Jamshedpur ends long winless run
It had been over 50 days since Jamshedpur tasted victory - a 1-0 away win against FC Goa on November 26 - and beating Kerala was crucial in its bid to qualify for the playoffs. The win took it to sixth, above Kerala and Chennaiyin FC on the ISL table, while it has also played a match less than Schattorie's side.
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