Kwame Peprah scored from a tight angle as Kerala Blasters FC edged past Mumbai City FC 1-0 in an Indian Super League match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Friday.
The Islanders, at 33 points tied with Odisha FC, needed just a point to qualify for the playoffs, but will now take their hunt for a top-six place to Bengaluru when they face the Blues on March 11.
It was a quiet first half with both the teams cancelling each other out in the midfield.
The second half saw Peprah find the back of the net from a tight angle and it was enough for the the home side to secure three points.
This is their first home victory this season since January 13, when they defeated Odisha FC 3-2.
It started as a pretty open game, with both the teams looking to fight it out in the midfield.
However, the first opportunity came to Lallianzuala Chhangte in the 10th minute when he took an audacious attempt from outside the box and rattled the post. Although he didn't score, it was a wake-up call from the hosts.
Despite the early scare, Kerala Blasters pushed forward, and they almost had the lead when Korou Singh found Ishan Pandita in the box with a pinpoint cross from the right flank.
However, the forward failed to make any connection from close range. Pandita was completely unmarked but couldn't properly position himself to slot it home.
In the 17th minute, Milos Drincic had a similar opportunity, this time from a free-kick. Adrian Luna sprayed the ball wide to Aibanbha Dohling from a freekick and the defender delivered a telling cross in the box. Drincic attacked the ball but his header was straight at Phurba Lachenpa, who pulled off a great save.
Kerala Blasters started the second half in a hurry, and their persistence paid dividends when in the 52nd minute, Peprah hammered it home from a tight angle, leaving Thaer Krouma and Lachenpa completely astounded. He handed the lead to the hosts in the 52nd minute.
In the 60th minute, Brandon Fernandes found Vikram Partap Singh in the box with an excellent free-kick. However, the latter's header was well-defended by the home team. A couple of minutes later, Peprah had another identical opportunity, this time on the left side of the goal, but this time he failed to hit the target.
The visitors almost restored parity in the 74th minute when Brandon found Chhangte in a pocket of space and the Mumbai City skipper pulled the trigger but eventually, it was a whisker away from the goal.
In the 77th minute, the hosts had an opportunity to extend their lead when Mohammed Aimen skipped past his marker on the left flank and had acres of space. He drove into the box and forced Lachenpa with a vicious effort. There was a chance on the rebound but Krouma cleared it away to safety.
Mumbai City's best chance of the game came in stoppage time when Vikram's goal-bound effort was cleared off the line by substitute Bikash Yumnam. With that chance, the Islanders left it too late, suffering their sixth defeat of the season.
I-League: Churchill Brothers send eight-man Shillong Lajong packing, climb to top
Colombia's Sebastian Gutiérrez emerged as the hero as he netted a hat-trick to propel Churchill Brothers to a dramatic 6-1 victory over an eight-man Shillong Lajong FC in their I-League match in Raia, Goa, on Friday.
This encounter was a spectacle filled with drama, including two sensational goals, three penalties, an own goal, and three red cards, all unfolding in a chaotic second half.
Churchill Brothers' triumph not only featured Gutiérrez's remarkable performance but also saw Pape Gassama and Wayde Lekay converting penalties.
Marcos Rudwere of Lajong, who himself scored from the spot and was later sent off, contributed to a match that shifted dramatically after Lajong took an early lead.
The win also allowed Churchill Brothers to overtake Inter Kashi at the top.
Despite both the sides having an identical 34 points after 18 games, Churchill Brothers lead due to a superior head-to-head record, intensifying the title race with only four matches remaining.
Shillong Lajong's day went from promising to disastrous. They held a 1-0 lead at half-time, thanks to Rudwere's penalty but collapsed under relentless pressure from Churchill Brothers.
Though Lajong remain in the fifth spot with 26 points, they can drop to seventh in a couple of days if Gokulam Kerala and Rajasthan United win their games.
Even though Lajong took the lead, Churchill Brothers dominated possession and created numerous opportunities, setting the stage for a second-half onslaught.
The turning point came in the 50th minute when Kharshong was red-carded for blocking a goal-bound shot with his hand inside the penalty area. Gassama stepped up to the spot and levelled the score, despite Lajong goalkeeper Ranit Sarkar guessing the direction correctly.
Gutiérrez broke through just two minutes later, skilfully navigating past two defenders to put his side ahead. The situation worsened for Lajong when Renan Paulino received his marching orders for a second yellow card after a foul on Gassama, reducing the visitors to nine men.
Gutiérrez continued his impressive display, adding his second in the 66th minute after latching onto a precise cross from Maibam Deny Singh with a skilful first touch and finishing coolly past the beleaguered Sarkar.
The hosts then extended their lead when Rafiq Aminu's strike hit the woodwork and rebounded off Sarkar, crossing the line for an own goal.
In the 78th minute, the Colombian completed his hat-trick with a long-range effort that flew past Sarkar, cementing his player-of-the-match performance.
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