Spanish forward Alvaro Vazquez’s sensational goal, a longranger from behind the halfline, lit up the night as 10-man Kerala Blasters defeated NorthEast United 2-1 in the Indian Super League at the Tilak Maidan, Vasco, on Friday.
Pereyra Diaz had given Blasters the lead earlier with a fine header and Mohammed Irshad pulled one back for NorthEast United with just a few seconds to go for the final whistle.
Move to second spot
The victory, Blasters’ sixth from 13 matches, helped the side jump over Jamshedpur FC and take the second spot in the 11-team league with 23 points while NorthEast remained in the last rung with 10 points from 15 matches.
The Blasters had a rather quiet first half, in fact it was NorthEast — which had suffered a 5-0 hammering against Hyderabad FC in its last match — that looked the livelier side.
Coming to life
But all that changed in the next half and the Blasters came to life shortly after the hour mark.
Nishu Kumar, from the left flank, started the move for the opening goal, sending a fine cross to the right inside the box where Harmanjot Khabra met it nicely and headed it to Pereyra in the centre who neatly nodded it home.
But a few minutes later, in the 70th, the Blasters were a man down with midfielder Ayush Adhikari being given the marching orders for a second yellow card.
But Vazquez’s beauty, which could be a record for a longranger in the ISL, erased all the worries in the Blasters camp.
Realising that the NorthEast goalkeeper Subashish Roy was out of position, Vazquez sent a spectacular shot from behind the halfline. Roy dived to his right but he could do nothing as the ball bounced near him and went home.
The result: Kerala Blasters 2 (Pereyra Diaz 62, Alvaro Vazquez 82) bt NorthEast United 1 (Mohamed Irshad 90+5).
Saturday’s match: Bengaluru FC vs Jamshedpur FC, 7.30 p.m.
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