After a tumultuous week marked by the dismissal of their head coach Mikael Stahre and his assistants, Kerala Blasters bounced back in emphatic style, defeating Mohammedan Sporting Club 3-0 in an Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Nehru Stadium on Sunday.
The victory brought much-needed relief to the Kochi-based team, which had suffered three consecutive defeats prior to this game. With the win, the Blasters moved up to 10th place in the 13-team league standings, while Mohammedan Sporting remained rooted at the bottom.
The Blasters started the match aggressively, with Noah Sadaoui and Adrian Luna orchestrating attacks through the left flank. They sent a flurry of crosses into the box, but striker Kwame Peprah struggled to capitalize on the opportunities. Meanwhile, Mohammedan Sporting held firm, relying on counterattacks to keep the hosts on their toes.
For nearly an hour, the visitors’ defense managed to frustrate the Blasters, but the deadlock was broken in the 62nd minute due to a costly error by Mohammedan Sporting goalkeeper Bhaskar Roy. Attempting to punch away a corner from Luna, Roy inadvertently sent the ball into his own net, handing Kerala Blasters the lead.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, the Blasters intensified their attacks. In the 80th minute, Noah Sadaoui doubled the advantage with a precise header, converting a well-placed cross from Korou Singh. The home crowd erupted in celebration, sensing a long-awaited victory.
Substitute Alexandre Coeff sealed the win in the dying moments of the match, scoring the team’s third goal with a clinical finish that left the visitors reeling. The dominant performance marked a significant turnaround for the Blasters after a challenging period.
The result not only lifted the spirits of the team but also their loyal fan base, who had endured a difficult start to the season.
Match Scoreline:
Kerala Blasters 3 (Bhaskar Roy 62’ [OG]; Noah Sadaoui 80’, Alexandre Coeff 90’),
Mohammedan Sporting Club 0
With this victory, Kerala Blasters will hope to build momentum as they aim to climb further up the table in the coming weeks.
