CHANDIGARH: It was the final game of the I-League first phase. The stage was set for a riveting battle between the top-placed Gokulam Kerala FC and 3rd placed RoundGlass Punjab FC at the Kalyani Stadium in Bengal.
With both sides in red hot form, fans from either side expected an edge-of-the-seat thriller which eventually lost some flavor with the Southern outfit comfortably pocketing 3-1, to stay atop the points tally.
The win helped Gokulam Kerala (30 points) equal Churchill Brothers’ 12-year-record of the longest unbeaten streak of 17 games in the I-League. Irrespective of the loss, Punjab FC, with 23 points, could hold on to the third position on the points table, and now have their eyes on the remaining six games, to be played in the second phase.
The match began with high intensity from both sides as Kurtis Guthrie fired in a shot as early as the first minute, with Travis Major being tackled in the box moments later. Major forced the rival goalkeeper into a save in the eighth minute, as his shot from range was deflected and on target.
RoundGlass Punjab FC custodian Jaspreet Singh produced a fine save to deny Jourdain Fletcher in a one-versus-one situation in the ninth minute before Shankar Sampingiraj cleared the ball off the line to keep the scores level.
However, in the 13th minute, Gokulam Kerala took the lead through Bouba Aminou, who scored with a header from a corner-kick opportunity. RoundGlass Punjab FC looked to strike back immediately, and Maheson Singh came close with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area.
The search for the equalizer continued, with the best chance of the half coming in the 41st minute after Aakash Sangwan’s cross from the left found Guthrie, whose header went just wide. Sangwan fired a free-kick on goal in stoppage time, but it was punched away by the goalkeeper.
After the restart, RoundGlass Punjab FC pushed forward immediately, with Guthrie inches away from connecting with a diving header in front of goal. The leveller came in the 48th minute as Kean Lewis’ delivery from a corner-kick caused havoc in the penalty area and headed into his own net by Bouba.
Both sides pushed for the decider as Maheson saw his shot saved in the 51st minute and Jaspreet made a diving save a minute later to keep the scores level.
Punjab FC kept pressing for advantage, however, the side from Kerala regained the lead in the 63rd minute as Luka Majcen converted an opportunity from a counter-attack. The score became 1-3 in the 72nd minute after Josef Yarney inadvertently turned a cross into a goal from close range.
Sangwan threatened the opposition goal through a header from the far post in the 80th minute, which went over the crossbar. Sumeet Passi drew a save deep in stoppage time but did not find the net.
