C.K. Vineeth’s two moments of magic in a four-minute spell late in the second half helped Kerala Blasters jolt defending champion Chennaiyin FC 3-1 and move to the second spot in the Indian Super League at the Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.
Three goals from two games!
Vineeth’s sparkling play showed what Steve Coppell’s Blasters had been missing. The 28-year-old from Kannur, who had helped Bengaluru FC to the final of the recent AFC Cup, was all anticipation and reflexes as he produced the two goals which left Chennaiyin breathless.
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Vineeth’s first goal, in the 85th minute, was a beauty. Blasters’ Spanish defender Josu Currias Prieto attempted a curling long-ranger from the left which goalkeeper Duwayne Kerr stretched to push back in. And even as defender Jerry Lalrinzuala put out a leg to thwart the danger, the Kerala star, who was lurking close by, scored with a lovely side-volley.
Vineeth was at it again four minutes later, picking up a long ball from German and shooting into the right corner from just outside the box as Kerr watched in agony.
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But it was Chennaiyin, punished 4-1 by Delhi Dynamos just three days ago, which looked the stronger side in the opening session. The visitors maintained discipline in formation and Blasters, playing in front of nearly 55,000 wildly cheering spectators, could do little to disturb this.
It did not take long for Chennaiyin captain Bernard Mendy to realise that the left lane was the best road to the goal.
And an unmarked Mendy gave the visitors the lead in the 22nd minute after a free run on the left. Defender Pratik Chaudhary had moved upfront and desperately tried to chase Mendy. But the Frenchman was quicker, he ran into the box and his shot deflected off central defender Sandesh Jhingan and moved into the far corner of the net. Goalkeeper Graham Stack could do nothing.
Soon, it was clear that Kadio’s presence was the disruptive force that Blasters were looking for this evening, after the exit of the lively forward Kervens Belfort with an injury a few minutes before the half-hour mark. Kadio, the Ivory Coast player, kept the Chennaiyin defence guessing.
And it was Kadio who brought Blasters’ equaliser in the 67th minute. German, a leading scorer last season who had come in for the injured Belfort, sneaked in through the left and as defender Filho attempted to cut out the space, the Englishman quickly slid the ball to Kadio who tapped it home to the delight of the crowd. And some 20 minutes later came the Vineeth magic which turned the match sharply around.
Kerala now has 15 points while Chennaiyin stays in the seventh spot with 10.