ISL 2015: Kerala decimate NorthEast as Lobo makes his mark
Kerala Blasters lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with an emphatic 4-1 win over NorthEast United in Guwahati on Sunday. Kerla's Cavin Lobo made a rare start and won the Man of the Match award, after scoring one and creating another from the midfield.
Terry Phelan, Kerala Blasters' manager, made a tactical change for this game and shifted from the usual 4-3-3 to a 4-1-2-1-2 formation. Their top scorer, Mohammed Rafi, started the match on the bench with Cavin Lobo starting in his place.
The new formation worked like a charm and they took the lead 26 seconds after the match started. Chris Dagnall poked in a cross from Antonio German to scored the fastest goal in the history of the ISL. NorthEast were stunned after that start by the visitors and it seemed like they never really recovered from it.
NorthEast defender Cedric Hengbart had a brilliant opportunity to equalize for his team in the 14th minute of the game, but his powerful header from a Simao corner was somehow kept out by Kerala goalkeeper Stephen Bywater.
That turned out to be a vital save, and in the 21st minute, Lobo doubled Kerala's lead. Dagnall set him through on goal with a lovely through ball, and the Indian midfielder slotted it past an onrushing Bywater.
Both the teams went into the half-time break at 2-0 in contrasting frames of mind.
In the 58th minute, a melee broke out at the center of the field when NorthEast midfielder Siam Hanghal made a rash challenge on Josu. The officials had to work hard to ensure that it did not turn into a pub-fight.
The night went from bad to worse for the home side in the 75th minute when Kerala striker German scored his third goal in four matches. The Englishman received the ball on the right flank, and shifted it to his left peg, before curling in a shot around a desperately diving Rehenesh TP at the NorthEast goal.
Just a minute later, Chris Dagnall completed the rout. The forward found himself in space at the edge of the box, and after a perfect give and go with Lobo, thrashed the ball into the top corner of the net.
In the 90th minute, NorthEast forward Nicolas Velez scored a late goal, but it was nothing but a consolation at that stage.
The match ended 4-1 in favour of Kerala Blasters, rather unexpectedly one might add. The visitors have now managed to lift themselves from the bottom of the table and climb above Chennaiyin into seventh place. NorthEast, on the other hand, remain at fifth, but with a staggering goal deficit of -7.