MARGAO
FC Goa squandered a one-goal advantage to go down against Kerala Blasters 1-2 as they slumped to their fourth defeat in the Indian Super League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Monday.
The hosts made a positive start with a Julio Cesar goal in the 24th minute. But second half strikes by Mohammed Rafi and Kervens Belfort capped off a superb comeback by Kerala as they registered their first away win of the season. The win takes Kerala Blasters' tally to 8 points from six matches, which moves them to fifth place. Meanwhile, FC Goa who suffered their fourth defeat are at the bottom with four points from six matches.
FC Goa have themselves to blame for the loss as they allowed visitors to claw back into the game. Playing at home for the second time at Fatorda where they are yet to win this season, the Gaurs started with a flurry of attacks but could not break the deadlock in the initial period of the game. At the other end, Kerala Blasters who settled down to a rhythm looked dangerous in their attack with Haiti striker Belfort looking more dangerous as he set the pace on the left and set up a couple of goalscoring chances before he himself made a solo run getting past a host of rival defenders and, after entering the box, essayed a low shot which lacked power and went straight to the Gaurs' goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury.
Just when Kerala Blasters looked like the more dominant team, FC Goa came up with a counter move against the run of play and took the lead in the 24th minute through Brazilian forward Ceasar. Richarlyson Felisbino sent a curling cross deep into the box from the left for Cesar, leapt high to head the ball into the net beating rival keeper Sandip Nandy.
Kerala Blasters then tried to find a way past the rival defence without much success. The visitors made inroads into the home team's defence even as they attacked more from the right flank and nearly found the equaliser in the 35th minute when defender Sandesh Jhingan's header was tipped over by Chowdhury from a freekick taken by Josu Currais from the right.
Zico moved to tighten the defence, replacing Joffre Gonzalez for defender Lucio but the move did not work as the home team conceded the equalizer in the 46th minute. Kerala Blasters scored soon after resumption after Mohammed Rafique made a run down the right flank to send a cross into the
goalmouth and Rafi, lurking at the far post, got lucky as defender Raju Gaikward's sliding clearance ricocheted off his foot and found the net.
FC Goa retaliated and nearly took the lead in the 62nd minute when keeper Sandip Nandy had to make a save to deny Cesar his second goal. With FC Goa doing the bulk of the attacking, Kerala Blasters had a counter move as Michael Chopra, who found himself free inside the box from a through pass, failed to beat Chowdhury under the Goa bar.
However, the FC Goa citadel crumbled in the 84th minute when Belfort, after receiving a pass from Josu Currais, made a run down on the left flank and after entering the box took a firm right footer that beat Chowdhury.
