This one had it all. Six goals, the highest in a match this season, a penalty save by Albino Gomes and a fine solo run by Gary Hooper that gave Kerala Blasters the lead.
In the end, former champion Bengaluru FC won the Southern derby comfortably with a 4-2 verdict over the Kochi side in the Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday night.
A 14-minute spell in the second half during which Bengaluru scored three goals turned the match around sharply.
The first half was almost even and Blasters took the lead in stunning fashion. In a smart counter-attacking move, Hooper went on a long solo run through the middle in the 17th minute sent the ball to Rahul K.P. on the right.
The midfielder came up with a perfect finish, a right footer from inside the box which gave the Bengaluru goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu no chance.
The Bengaluru equaliser, 12 minutes later, came off an unexpected move. Forward Cleiton Silva capitalised on a defensive error from Lalruatthara, who awkwardly messed up his clearance, and sent the ball neatly home and the two teams were level at the break.
The second half was a very different story. Sunil Chhetri, the ISL's highest Indian scorer, missed a penalty early in this session – his chipped shot was comfortably saved by Gomes – but Bengaluru roared back with two quick goals in the space of two minutes, scored by Norway's Kristian Opseth off an Ashique Kuruniyan cross and by Spaniard Dimas Delgado off a Cleiton pass, that shattered Blasters.
And a few minutes later, Bengaluru captain Chhetri made amends for the penalty miss, scoring with a smart header off a Harmanjot Khabra pass, and in between striker Jordan Murray scored the Blasters' second goal.
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