ISL 2020-21 highlights, KBFC vs CFC: Chennaiyin, Kerala Blasters play out 1-1 draw

ISL, CFC vs KBFC: Fatkhullo and Gary Hooper scored in a 1-1 draw between Chennaiyin FC and Kerala Blasters FC at the GMC Athletic Stadium.

Updated : Feb 21, 2021 22:28 IST

Hooper scores for Kerala Blasters against Chennaiyin in the ISL.
Hooper scores for Kerala Blasters against Chennaiyin in the ISL.
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Hooper scores for Kerala Blasters against Chennaiyin in the ISL.

This is Sportstar's ISL 2020-21 match blog of the Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC game being played at the GMC Athletic Stadium on Sunday.

That's it for the night. We will be back tomorrow with Hyderabad FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan.

REPORT |

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PODCAST - In the latest episode of Sportstar's 'The Full Time Show', Odisha FC's Rohan Sharma and Raj Athwal take us through their former head coach Stuart Baxter's comments, their decision to let him go and the larger problem of trivializing sexual violence in the sporting world.

Ishfaq Ahmed "We created more chances and clear chances. Finishing is a skill and we need to work on that. Those moments where we need to help the team and make those small changes. I needed younger players on the wings and take them on who were on yellow. Their GK made some good saves towards the end. [What next for club for new season] Defense. That's where we can build for championships. [On wherther Rahul was his find] He was an Arrows player and we watched him for a long time. Most Kerala boys want to play for Blasters. I always liked those players who never give up. He has a fantastic career ahead of him and he just needs some game management .

Csaba Laszlo " Posiives] That we had a very good unit and harmony. After so many draws and unfortunate bad results, the team showed we had character, I give chance to many young Indian players and that's important for Indian football. I enjoyed my time here and I wish he fans we ejoyed the season. Today, it was a wrking draw becuase we played with 10 men and we were tired. First 20 minutes we had chace to decide game but we didnt. I didnt think the first one was not a penalty but 2nd one was. [Rating his season] Maybe 6/10 because we didnt achieve our targets. I expect top four next season. If I can advice for the club we need to look carefully for recruitment. We tried our best and generally if we think about top 4 for next season. [What advice for club?]We need to have very good recruitment. We need more good Indian players with ones we already have and players with killer instincts. We had possibility to bring good striker who can win golden boot this season team created chances but couldnt score the chances. I tried to compensate a lot with tactics and it wasnt easy. Football education from childhood for Indians with feet takes a lot of time. Rafa helped me a lot and he was my right hand man on the oitch and Thapa too with Indian players. Then they got injured and we needed to do something new. I am proud of how players have developed. If I can I will come back with pleasure."

Chennaiyin's season ends on a familiar note. 11th draw of the season and another game where it was pegged back after starting well and take the lead. Kerala fought back well and looked good for the win but didn't take the chances that came its way in the second half. In the end, Chennaiyin held on for a draw after losing Sipovic for the final 15 minutes of the game. ISL 2020: Points Table

FULL-TIME.

90'+4' Yellow card for Kaith for time wasting from a goal kick. He kicks the ball out of play.

90'+2' Gomez with a header on target after a cross from Murray but its straight at Kaith.

Four minutes of added time

90' Jessel drives a shot from distance and Kaith dives full-stretch to keep the shot out.

89' Murray is released through on goal by Hooper but he is closed by Chennaiyin defenders before he could take a shot.

86' Lalruatthara swings in a cross into the box but Rahul, who is unmarked in the box, cacn't redirect is header on target.

85' KBFC SUB: Sahal ON, Prasanth OFF

84' Kerala piling on the pressure inside the Chennaiyin half without being able to break down the defence or a cleart chance. Rain pelting down at Bambolim.

82' CFC SUB: Sipovic OFF, Ganesh ON

80' RED CARD! Sipovic is off for a second yellow after he sticks out a leg to bring down Prasanth.

78' Prasanth with a superb run on the counter and plays a one-two to get into the box but Thoi makes a great block.

77' Thoi with a cutback into the Kerala box on the overlap but its cut out.

76' CFC SUB: Isma OFF, Fathkullo OFF

74' Water break taken

73' Kone has a touch of cramp. His CB partner Costa helps him out while Kone is down on the floor.

72' Murray asks for a penalty but is booked for simulation. He made a superb run into the box and Jerry gets a hand on him but made a late dive inside the box.

71' Kaith with a superb call and grab from a Kerala corner kick. He looks to release Chhangte with his throw but the winger is thwarted.

67' Brilliant run from Hooper before finding Murray in space with a diagonal pass. But assistant puts his flag up for offisde before he could take his shot. Replay shows he was onside.

65' Tangri slices a clearance behind for a Kerala corner. Kaith comes out flying to punch the ball away before Costa got on the end of it to nod it towards goal.

63' Foul called against Sipovic after he brings down prasanth on the left side of Chennaiyin box.

60' Sahal is warming up on the sidelines. Offside called against Chhangte down the left side after Thapa played him in behind the defence.

56' Yellow card for Thoi after he catches the feet of Rahul near the halfway line.

54' A long ball into the Kerala box but Albino comes off his line quickly to catch the ball.

49' Chhangte gets his shot away on the dive from close range but can't keep his shot on target.

48' Rahul cuts in from the left and unleashes a shot from distance but his effort flies wide.

46' CFC SUB: Lanzarote OFF, Thoi ON. Kerala gets the second period underway.

SECOND HALF

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Chennaiyin started like a house on fire in the first 10 minutes but only managed to convert just once chance. Kerala came back strongly and forced Chennaiyin into mistakes with Tangri in paricular struggling at right-back. Hooper's penalty helped Kerala equalise and cancel out Fatkhulo's opening goall.

HALF-TIME.

45'+1' Free-kick from Jessel. Tangri's intercepting header facing away from goal nearly went into his own net but Kaith was alert to push it behind for a corner.

Two minutes of added time.

45' Foul called agiant Thapa after he catches Gomez's feet in the process of winning the ball. The CFC skipper isn't happy with the decision.

43' Chhangte wins a corner against Prasanth after running into the box.

39' Hooper looks to chip the 'keepr from the edge of the box but the weight on the shot is a bit too strong. Ball sails over the bar.

37' Another penalty appeal from Kerala as Memo and Murray challenge for the ball inside the box. No penalty awarded. Replay shows Memo got the ball before bringing down the striker.

35' Lanza had a chance to release either Chhangte or Sylvestr on the break bu his pass for the latter is cut out by Costa.

33' Another penalty appeal against Tangri after he seemed to clatter against Rahul. Referee says no this time.

31' Water break taken.

30' Sipovic is booked after he pulls back Hooper near the halfway mark.

29' GOAL! 1-1! Gary Hooper equalises from the spot as Kaith dives the wrong way.

28' PENALTY! Sustained spell of pressure from Kerala in Chennaiyin half. The ball strikes the bicep of Tangri as he goes up to challenge for a header. Hooper had a shot blocked from close range in the builld up to the penalty.

25' Long ball into the Chennaiyin box and Sipovic heads it behind for another corner.

23' Thapa swings in a cross from a sort corner routine and the header loops high for ALbino to collect the ball. He launches a long punt forward for Hooper and Jerry's miscued clearance send the ball behind for a corner.

19' Prasanth releases Lalruatthara on the right to play in a superb cross into the box and Rahul leaps high to head the ball but he can't get it on target.

16' Lanza threads a ball in between the defenders to find Chhnagte, who squares the ball across the face of goal but Sylvestr can't get on the end of it on the stretch.

14' Murray breaks forward and he takes on Sipovic. He shifts the ball to the right before firing a shot on goal but Kaith dive low to push it out! Edwin clears out the ricochet.

13' Sipovic's header is pushed onto the crossbar! Lanza with a free-kick into the book and the big central defender towers high to get his head on to it.

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Fatkhullo celebrates scoring for Chennaiyin against Kerala Blasters.
 

10' GOAL! CFC up 1-0 through Fatkhulo! Kone's header falls to Edwin who lobs the ball ver the left-back's head to find the winger. Fatkhulo checks inside before unleashing a shot, which Albino can't keep out.

7' Gomez drives a hard shot from distance and Kaith dives to his left to push it behind for a corner.

6' Thapa's interception in midfield releases Chhangte behind the Kerala defence. But Kone makes a good recovery to get in a block before he could get his shot away.

4' Memo goes into the book for a high boot to Rahul's face. Phew what a start to the game!

3' Lanzarote picks out Chhangte's run down the left and he fires in a cross for Sylvestr, who heads it over from close range!

3' Sipovic scores with his head after a cross from the right but he is flagged offside!

2' A chance for Chhangte, who is free inside the box, and he sets himself up and fires it on goal and Albino again with a save!

1' Thapa nearly got another goal around the 52nd mark. Costa with a poor giveaway to Chhangte in his own half and the ball fell to Thapa, who volleyed it with his left-foot and needed Albino to punch it away!

1' Chennaiyin kicks off the first half from right to left.

FIRST HALF

7.24 PM: Both team make their way out to the middle.

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Anirudh Thapa captains Chennaiyin FC for the first time this season against Kerala Blasters. - ISL/Sportzpics
 

7.15 PM: Goa wins 2-1 against Bengaluru and the latter's tournament now comes to an end! FOLLOW LIVE BLOG

6.30 PM: Kerala Blasters XI (4-4-2)

Albino Gomes; Lalrutthara, Bakary Kone, Costa Nhamoinesu, Jessel Carneiro; Rahul KP, Jeakson Singh, Vicente Gomez, Prasanth K; Gary Hooper, Jordan Murray

Chennaiyin FC XI (4-4-2)

Vishal Kaith; Edwin Vanspaul, Deepak Tangri, Enes Sipovic, Jerry Lalrinzuala; Fatkhulo Fatkhulloev, Anirudh Thapa, Memo Moura, Lallianzuala Chhangte; Manuel Lanzarote, Jakub Sylvestr

6.10 PM: Here's how the two teams could line-up

Kerala Blasters predicted XI (4-3-3)

Albino Gomes; Sandeep Singh, Bakary Kone, Costa Nhamoinesu, Yondrembem Denechandra; Rohit Kumar, Vicente Gomez, Seityasen Singh; Prasanth Karuthadathkuni, Gary Hooper, Jordan Murray.

Chennaiyin FC predicted XI (4-4-2)

Vishal Kaith; Jerry Lalrinzuala, Eli Sabia, Enes Sipovic, Reagan Singh; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Edwin Vanspaul, Manuel Lanzarote, Memo Moura; Rahim Ali, Jakub Sylvestr.

5.55 PM: It's turning out to be a thriller at the Fatorda! Goa is up 2-1 against Bengaluru as the playoffs race heats up! FOLLOW LIVE BLOG

5.45 PM: PODCAST - In the latest episode of Sportstar's 'The Full Time Show', Odisha FC's Rohan Sharma and Raj Athwal take us through their former head coach Stuart Baxter's comments, their decision to let him go and the larger problem of trivializing sexual violence in the sporting world.

Follow Sportstar's full coverage (Latest news, Interviews, Features, Points table, Quiz, Videos) of ISL 2020-21 .

The seventh edition of the Indian Super League got underway inside a bio-bubble in Goa on November 20.

ISL 2020: Points Table

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.

MATCH PREVIEW:

Chennaiyin FC will want to sign off its Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) campaign on a winning note when it takes on Kerala Blasters at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Sunday. In a contest between two Southern sides that are out of the playoffs, pride will be at stake, if nothing else.

Chennaiyin is placed eighth in the table with 19 points, three more than Blasters, which is 10th but has played a game less. It has indeed been a disappointing season for both.

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It has been so disappointing for Blasters that it sacked its coach a few days ago. Kibu Vicuna parted ways with the team after its crushing 4-0 defeat to Hyderabad earlier in the week.

Ishfaq Ahmed has taken over as the interim coach. “It’s a difficult situation that we are in now and there is not much time to change many things. But there are things we would like to improve,” he said.

He added it was important that the players remained motivated. “For me, it's everything to play for, pride and self-respect,” he said. “I think they are up for these two matches.”

Chennaiyin's coach Csaba Laszlo said he was still proud of his boys. “They showed character irrespective of the teams, but we lost two points against FC Goa and NorthEast United," he said. "We want to show our fans, our club owners and everybody else that we want to win the game. We won the first game against Jamshedpur FC and we would like to win against Kerala in our last game.”

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He said there was a lot of harmony in the team. “I have been on many teams and this is my third continent but here we had so much harmony,” he said. “We had bad moments and bad games and the players who were angry came up and encouraged others.”

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