In the end, it's just a difference of one goal; one brilliant effort, one big save or just an unfortunate meltdown from a key player
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The third season of Indian Super League has been as much about Atletico de Kolkata's second title triumph in three years as it is about Kerala Blasters' second near miss in India's top football league. The Blasters lost both the finals to the Kolkata side, who now look like they own the league that started in 2014. Atletico beat Kerala 1-0 at the death in the inaugural edition of the league and reclaimed the title on Sunday with a 3-2 shootout over their unlucky rivals who were playing before a sea of yellow supporters at their fortress in Kochi. This was a particularly hard loss to swallow for the Blasters players and their faithful army of fans. They went into the match with an obvious advantage of having the 12th man on their side, and the final -- like any other big final -- was difficult to call. In the end, it's just a difference of one goal; one brilliant effort, one big save or just an unfortunate meltdown from a key player. And this time it was the lottery of penalties, which -- to their credit -- Atletico made sure they won.
Atletico's win has also added to the contrast between the fortunes of the two big football States in the country. While Bengal has won major trophies in recent years, it has been a long dry period for Kerala. It has been over a decade since Kerala saw any footballing silverware, and a quarter of a century since any club from the coastal state won a tournament of national prominence. The closest they came to winning a national title -- apart from the two ISL finals -- was in 2012-13 season, when they lost the Santosh Trophy final on penalties. That final was at home too. Within a year they were in the ISL final, and a ninetieth minute winner from Atletico left them reeling. Now, as before, another shootout. And the trophy has escaped them.They are the 'jinxed' ones in Indian football. At least, that's what their fans would tell you. Indeed, Kerala has consistently produced great footballers, but they seem to never turn that silver into gold. Not that the fans are complaining. Not these, they packed the stadium in droves cheering, hooting and screaming at every touch of the ball, regardless of who made it. However, as it turned out, this time there was more pain, and more drama than before; a game that had it all. It was the first ISL final which didn’t see a winner in regulation time. Even in 'God's own country', as Kerala is known, with Sachin Tendulkar -- the God of cricket -- on their side, they saw the trophy slip away, again.
