The first-ever Indian Super League knockout match didn’t deserve the finish it got. Kerala Blasters, led by its coach Ivan Vukomanovic, walked off the pitch protesting an extra-time goal scored by Bengaluru FC’s Sunil Chhetri, and thus ended up forfeiting the tie.
The 1-0 scoreline at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday sent BFC through to the semifinal where it will face Mumbai City FC.
In the 97th minute, Chhetri took a free-kick early, even as the Blasters players were making up their minds about the wall, and the ball soared into the unguarded net, over goalie Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.
Even as the home faithful went into raptures, the miffed Blasters players chose to protest in the least desirable way. There were parleys for about 20 minutes, before the Match Commissioner handed BFC the game.
“I told the referee that I neither wanted the whistle nor the wall,” said Chhetri later. “He asked if I was sure and I said yes. I tried to hit it once and they [Blasters] blocked it. So I thought they knew what I was going to do. Then I was about to ask the referee for 10 yards space. But I got a small window and that was it.
“About what happened after that, I don’t want to comment. It’s their decision. My personal opinion is... I can understand the Kerala Blasters players’ feelings and disappointment. But I would not leave [the pitch]. Even if the club wants me to, I wouldn’t.”
It wasn’t as if Blasters had dominated the match and were hard done by. But for the final 15 minutes, the away side was mostly pedestrian, with Roy Krishna coming close thrice in the opening 25 minutes alone. Near the hour mark, Prabhsukhan, diving to his right, denied Suresh Wangjam what looked a sure-shot goal.
That Blasters held on to stretch the contest into extra-time was admirable, and with half-an-hour’s action to follow, and potential penalties to come, the thousands in the stands would have anticipated an exciting finish.
Instead, the evening will be remembered for the acrimony and resentment, and for being a bad advertisement for the sport.
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