ISL 5: Kerala Blasters blank ATK 2-0 for a first victory since 2014

Matej Poplatnik will have a debut to remember, not for the sole reason that he scored this season’s opening goal but also for the importance of it. Kerala Blasters beating ATK 2-0 for the first time since 2014 in the ISL opener in Kolkata on Saturday.

A lot has changed in that gap of four years and as many seasons, since the Blasters last beat ATK. The losers here have been crowned twice champions, ironically defeating tonight’s winners in both the finals. But on a night the visitors set the record straight, they could have scored five against a side that still looks to be in need of some polishing.

Poplatnik broke the deadlock in the 77th minute – and once again a little ironically – it came from a lucky deflection. Ironic because until that goal the 26-year-old Slovenian striker looked the only one capable of scoring one.

Kerala started well and again much of it was down to Poplatnik connecting well with left back Lalruatthara, whose runs on the left channel found no competition. ATK found it difficult to contain the Slovenian striker, who inside the opening 10 minutes had almost scored thrice. He had a shot blocked, another headed over the bar, while a touch too many spoiled the third.

But the misses left alone, Poplatnik still was at the heart of most of Kerala’s chances. It was from his corner that Nemanja Lakic-Pesic forced a goal-line save by Sena Ralte and similarly the ball had his touch before Sahal Samad unleashed a long ranger that stretched ATK goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya to the full. And so it fit that it was Poplatnik, who scored the opener and until his substitution in the 89th minute, the forward looked hungry for more.

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It was also in the period between his substitution and his goal that Kerala added a second through Slavisa Stojanovic that ensured a win with four minutes to go.

ATK were clumsy, giving up ball-possession more frequently than they had the opportunity to attack. But chances did come their way, with the best coming in the 15th minute when skipper Manuel Lanzarote struck the post from a curled corner effort. Everton Santos then fired one just inched above the upright, while Jayesh Rane missed a free header in the 37th minute.

The Blasters were more alert and had more intensity in attacks and that prompted ATK coach Steve Coppell into making a double substitution in the 74th minute in order to add more power in what otherwise looked like a worn out attack. But just as the home team opened up – they have done so in the fourth minute but was saved – blasters scored.  A Courage Pekuson pass to Stojanovic just outside the ATK box saw the Serbian attempt a shot that took a deflection off Gerson Vieira straight into Poplatnik’s path, who nodded the ball home.

Vieira was again at the end of some beating when Stojanovic took him on, turning and twisting the Brazilian defender – who led Neymar in the 2009 U-17 World Cup – before scoring from a stunner in the 86th minute. Holicharan Narzary had found the 29-year-old with a long ball in between Johnson and Vieira.

Image Credit – ISL