Basil Sylvester Pinto
MARGAO
The game at Fatorda had promised to be a keenly-contested affair with the whimsical on either side being similar. Astute in defence and being non-clinical in the final third had been the commonality between the sides, particularly in their recent games.
Kerala Blasters FC and FC Goa were placed 7th and 8th respectively with only a point separating the sides ahead of their sixth game, in Fatorda on Monday. With three points critical to be well within the rat race in the top half of the competition, a good contest was in the offing.
And the first half saw the away side from the South, show an unusual characteristic of domination in the attacking index, and the Gaurs playing second fiddle. That said, both the sides barely had an eye at the goal.
Julio Cesar, after coming on from the bench in the first four games, received his first start in the previous game against Mumbai City FC which saw the Gaurs register their first full games. Growing in confidence in every game, he began to get more minutes on the greens, the well-built Gaur made his presence felt with two good set-pieces, one which was an assist to Richarlyson for a solitary goal win against Mumbai.
The ball-pated Brazilian journeyman set the tone for his team early into the game when he beautifully chipped the ball from the left flank towards target man Robin Singh but the delivery was neatly collected by Kerala custodian Sandip Nandy. As the game progressed, he began to stand out from the rest of the outfield Gaurs, his efforts finally coming to fruition in the 24th minute, when he rammed in a header into the the goal with two defenders off positioned and the Kerala ‘keeper, Nandy beaten.
Both sides had few opportunities at goal, with both defences looking rock-solid. Upon resumption, an enforced substitution of Joffre for defender Lucio owing to a niggle changed the dimension of the game. The script changed when a darting Mehtab Hossain sent a beautiful pass to Mohammed Rafique who crossed the ball to Mohammed Rafi who was in the right place to connect his foot for the equaliser.
Despite conceding the goal, goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury was a picture of confidence in the goal for the home side and came to the rescue of the Gaurs a few times. As the final quarter neared in the game, the Gaurs' backline began to look unsteady with Gregory Arnolin and Raju Gaikwad proving ineffective.
Within minutes of each other, local favourites Mandar and Romeo were brought into equation for Robin and Pratesh Shirodkar to the roars of their endearing masses. Mandar tried to make a statement and looked the part but the Kerala citadel was on guard with Sandesh Jhingan on as his marker.
The persisted Robin looked ineffective upfront. At the post-match press conference, in a reply to a question posed by The Goan Everyday, if a change of formation in the next game would be looked at with Robin lackadaisical, FC Goa gaffer Zico stated that he would look at continuing to give Robin confidence. Admitting that the former Delhi Dynamos player is finding his way from surgery, the coach said he would prefer to repose his trust in the India international to get him into the rhythm and play to his full potential.
Lucio playing in front of defence and Richarlyson thrust further up with Jofre not in the half had a repercussion on the Gaurs' performance. Against the run of play, a moment of brilliance by Blasters’ Haitian forward Kervens Belfort, who split the defence to net the goal proved to be the difference in the outcome.
