ISL 2024-25: Punjab FC Falls to Nine-Man Kerala Blasters
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New Delhi, Jan 5 (NationPress) Punjab FC suffered a narrow defeat, losing by a solitary goal to nine-man Kerala Blasters FC in a hard-fought match of the Indian Super League held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.
Noah Sadaoui’s penalty in the first half was sufficient for the away team to secure all three points, as the Shers were unable to capitalize on their two-man advantage in the final quarter. This marks the Shers' fourth consecutive defeat, leaving them in eighth place with 18 points, while Kerala Blasters, with their second consecutive victory, sit just below at ninth with 17 points.
Panagiotis Dilmperis fielded a lineup consisting of 10 Indian players, with Asmir Suljic being the lone foreigner. Muhammad Suhail F made his first start in the ISL, leading the attack alongside Nihal Sudeesh and Asmir. Dilmperis opted for a five-man defense for the second match in a row, with Muheet Shabir in goal. Ricky Shabong and Nikhil Prabhu anchored the midfield, with Nikhil wearing the captain’s armband.
The opening 25 minutes saw both sides struggling to create clear scoring opportunities in the chilly climate of the national capital. The match was primarily contested in midfield, with both teams aiming to exploit counterattacks. Kerala Blasters came close to scoring, but Korou Singh’s header missed the target.
Both goalkeepers were called into action shortly after, with Adrian Luna’s powerful shot from outside the box being expertly saved by Muheet Shabir. Melroy Assisi’s clearance allowed Punjab FC to transition from defense to a counterattack, leading to Nihal Sudeesh’s solo run that was saved low by Sachin Suresh.
The deadlock was finally broken in the dying minutes of the first half when Noah Sadaoui was fouled by Suresh Meitei inside the penalty area. The resulting penalty was calmly converted by the American, giving the away team a crucial lead.
The Shers came out strong in the second half, attacking the Blasters’ defense aggressively. Leon Augustine delivered a cross to Suhail in the box, but the young player's shot sailed over the goal. Punjab continued to apply pressure, and Kerala Blasters were reduced to ten men when defender Milos Drincic received his second yellow card after pulling down Leon Augustine. The Blasters further dwindled to nine men in the 74th minute when Aibanbha Dohling elbowed Leon Augustine to halt a counterattack.
From that point on, it was one-way traffic as Punjab FC utilized their man advantage, while Kerala Blasters focused on clearing their defensive lines. Ultimately, the Blasters successfully thwarted every attack from the Shers and secured all three points.
Punjab FC will head to Guwahati for their next match on January 10 against NorthEast United FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.
