That is it from this game. Hope you had as much fun as we did in covering this game for you. ISL action continues on Sunday, 16th February as ATK FC host top 4 hopefuls Chennaiyin FC. That game will begin at 1930 IST. Join us for that one. Till then, take care and goodnight!
Awards
Kerala Blasters FC grab the Club Award after a win this evening. Messi Bouli collects the Limitless Player of the Match Award. Suresh Wangjam grabs the Winning Pass of the Match Award as well as the ISL Emerging Player of the Match Award while Bartholomew Ogbeche bags the Hero of the Match Award.
Happy ending for the Kerala fans
Kerala Blasters FC have managed to claim bragging rights in the Southern Derby and have given their fans something to cheer about as they finish their home games for the season. After equalizing late in the first half. It was an even second as well with both sides creating half chances. The home side then had a golden opportunity to take the lead as Messi Bouli was brought down in the box by Albert Serran. Bartholomew Ogbeche was never going to miss it from the spot and he did not as he slotted the penalty and scored the eventual winner. Bengaluru FC tried to equalize and threw everything at it but the home team defended like a unit and ensured they win their last home game of the season and send the fans happy after what has been a poor campaign.
90'
Full time
There goes the final whistle and it ends with Kerala Blasters FC 2 - 1 Bengaluru FC.
90'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : DROBAROV
90'
Over
Dimas Delgado takes a corner from the right flank. Rahul Bheke leaps high to head the ball in the back of the net but fails to do so.
90'
Final change
Kerala Blasters FC make their final change. Sahal Abdul Samad is going off and he has been replaced by Mohammed Rafi.
90'
Substitution
Substitution - Kerala Blasters FC (In: RAFI, Out: SAHAL)
90'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : BILAL
90'
Added time
The referee has added 5 minutes as injury time.
89'
Weak cross
Lalruatthara looks to cross the ball from the right but it is a weak one as it is easily cleared by one of the Bengaluru FC players.
86'
Injury?
Kerala Blasters FC skipper Bartholomew Ogbeche is down. Probably suffering from cramps or something. It's been a great evening for him so far. He is limping right now but continues to play.
85'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : RAHUL
80'
Coming to close
10 minutes and added time left in this game. Will Bengaluru FC be able to equalize or will Kerala Blasters FC keep their lead and take three points home?
77'
Change for both sides
Both the sides now bringing fresh legs. Rahul KP comes on to replace Halicharan Narzary for Kerala Blasters FC and Kevaughn Frater replaces Francisco Borges for the away side.
77'
Substitution
Substitution - Bengaluru FC (In: FRATER, Out: NILI A.W)
77'
Substitution
Substitution - Kerala Blasters FC (In: RAHUL, Out: NARZARY. H)
75'
Fails to control
Dimas Delgado from the middle of the park looks to give a long ball to Nishu Kumar on the left. However, the ball is hit a little too powerfully and Nishu Kumar fails to get to the ball and Bilal Husain Khan comes charging in to collect the ball.
72'
GOALLL!!!
Bartholomew Ogbeche slots home the penalty and he gives the home side the lead. Kerala Blasters FC's fans are going absolutely wild in the stands and why won't they be? Their star man has scored yet another brace this season. Bartholomew Ogbeche stop-starts his run and sends Gurpreet Singh Sandhu the wrong way. He blasts the penalty in the top left corner and is off again in celebration. Can the away side make a comeback in this game?
72'
Goal-Penalty
Goal-Penalty - Kerala Blasters FC : OGBECHE
70'
Penalty
A huge chance for the home side to take the lead in this game as the referee has awarded a penalty. Albert Serran pulls Messi Bouli inside the box and the referee catches it and awards a penalty. He does not award Serran the second yellow though. So Bengaluru FC won't be a man down.
67'
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with a flying save
Halicharan Narzary gets the loose ball near the box. He takes a touch and shoots it towards the goal but Sandhu makes a flying save with his right hand to deny Narzary.
67'
Waste of a free kick
After a foul, Bengaluru FC win a free-kick just outside the box. Dimas Delgado is the man once again who takes it but fails to deliver it anywhere near the goal.
61'
Change
Bengaluru FC bring in fresh legs as Deshorn Brown is going off and Semboi Haokip is coming on for him.
61'
Substitution
Substitution - Bengaluru FC (In: SEMBOI, Out: BROWN SR.)
58'
Vital block
Albert Serran with a crucial block. Halicharan Narzary runs on the left and whips in a dangerous cross which Messi Bouli gets the header on but Erik Paartalu blocks it and the ball falls at the far post. Sahal Abdul Samad gets to the spilt ball and lashes a powerful shot but it is stopped by Nishu Kumar. Danger averted!
55'
Blocked away
Ashique Kuruniyan wins the ball just inside the box. He makes space for himself and then hits the ball towards the goal but Vlatko Drobarov comes in between the ball to block it away.
54'
Poor cross
Lalruatthara gets the ball on the right. He tries to cross it in front of the goal but it is a poor one and goes way over the target.
50'
Substitution
Udanta Singh, who has had a tough evening, comes off and he is replaced by Ashique Kuruniyan.
47'
Another giveaway
Udanta Singh once again dashes forward with the ball inside the box on the left. He has two defenders, Lalruatthara and Vlatko Drobarov on his toes and he tries to turn back to outfox them but he fails to do so. Once again one touch too many from the Bengaluru FC player.
50'
Substitution
Substitution - Bengaluru FC (In: ASHIQUE, Out: UDANTA)
46'
Second half!
We are back for the second half and it will be the home side to get us underway now. No half time substitution from either side.
All level at the break!
What a grand finish to the first half! It looked like Bengaluru FC will head into the half time break with one goal advantage but the Kerala Blasters FC skipper had a different plan. Bartholomew Ogbeche took the free-kick from just outside the box and went past the challenge of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to level the scores. It was the away side that started the scoring when Suresh Wangjam's excellent long ball was delivered in the back of the net by Deshorn Brown in the 16th minute of the game. Both the sides created a few opportunities throughout the half but failed to find the final touch. They will return with the aim of taking three points home in the second 45. Let's see who manages to keep calm and do so.
45'
Half time
There goes the half time whistle and at the break, it is all level.
45'
GOALLL!!!
Kerala Blasters FC equalize late in the first half and the home fans are going absolutely bonkers. The hosts were threatening to equalize and have had some good chances and now they have buried one. Gianni Zuiverloon rolls the free kick to Bartholomew Ogbeche, he hits it first time. His shot is a venomous one and even though Gurpreet Singh Sandhu slides to his left and tries to get his body behind, he fails to do so as the shot has too much power on it. It deflects off his body to the back of the net.
45'
Goal
Goal - Kerala Blasters FC : OGBECHE
45'
Yellow card
Albert Serran goes into the referee's book and gives Kerala Blasters FC a chance to equalize late in the first half. The Bengaluru FC defender tries to win a 50-50 ball but ends up taking down Bartholomew Ogbeche just outside the box in a dangerous area.
45'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Bengaluru FC : SERRAN
45'
Added time
The referee has added 2 minutes as the injury time in the first half.
43'
Chance to double the lead
Francisco Borges passes the ball to the charging Udanta Singh from the middle of the park. Singh takes it forward and nears the box but one of the Kerala Blasters FC players takes the ball away with a good tackle. Bilal Husain Khan was once again off his line and that could've been danger for the hosts one more time.
39'
Oops
Nishu Kumar and Gianni Zuiverloon try to win the aerial ball. Gianni Zuiverloon gets his header to the ball but as both the players come down, Gianni Zuiverloon leg hits Nishu's in the box.
42'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Bengaluru FC : BROWN SR.
36'
Ugly tackle
Nishu Kumar is set free on the left with the ball. He makes a move and dashes ahead but Lalruatthara comes from behind and takes him down. Bengaluru FC have a free-kick in a very good position. Can they double their lead?
36'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : RUATTHARA
32'
Foul
Jessel Carneiro commits a foul on his opposite jersey number, Dimas Delgado on the right side from behind. A free-kick awarded to Bengaluru FC. Nothing comes out of it though.
30'
Off target!
Corner for Kerala Blasters FC! Sahal Abdul Samad from the right delivers a cross at the far post. It finds the head of the captain. Bartholomew Ogbeche there leaps high and heads the ball but it is wide of the target.
25'
Over
Another chance for Kerala Blasters FC but they fail to capitalize. Mouhamadou Gning gets the ball on the left. He enters the box and crosses it at the far post. Messi Bouli there somehow manages to get to the ball. It balloons at a height off some deflection. Bouli though gets little too much on it and fails to keep it down.
24'
Substitution
A forced change for Kerala Blasters FC as Sergio Cidoncha cannot continue and they are forced to replace him with Gianni Zuiverloon.
24'
Substitution
Substitution - Kerala Blasters FC (In: ZUIVERLOON, Out: CIDO)
20'
First yellow card
Messi Bouli gets the first yellow of the game. He tried to block the cross of Albert Serran on the left but ends up jabbing Serran. The referee is quick to spot that and shows a yellow for the attempt.
20'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : MESSI B
17'
Straight to the keeper
That was an excellent cross from Halicharan Narzary from the left flank. Messi Bouli gets on it and heads it powerfully but it goes straight to Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Bouli could've done a lot better there.
16'
GOALLL!!!
Misery for the home fans as the away fans are up in joy. Deshorn Brown has silenced the home fans and given his side the lead early in the game. Suresh Wangjam plays a superb aerial through ball from the right to find Deshorn Brown, who times his run to perfection and dissects Raju Gaikwad and the charging Bilal Husain Khan. The goalkeeper is taken out of the equation with a brilliant touch and then Brown slots it home for Bengaluru FC.
16'
Goal
Goal - Bengaluru FC : BROWN SR.
15'
Poor header
Jessel Carneiro takes a corner from the left. He delivers in it in front of the goal. Vlatko Drobarov leaps high but heads the ball way wide.
10'
Top block
Sergio Cidoncha takes a corner from the right. He whips it in nicely in front of the goal. Mouhamadou Gning heads it in the direction of the goal but Francisco Borges does well to block it away.
9'
Good play
Sergio Cidoncha passes the ball towards Messi Bouli who enters the box with an excellent run. He tries making space for himself to take a shot on target but he is covered by two opposition players. Bouli eventually takes the shot but Erik Paartalu blocks it out.
5'
Off target
Nishu Kumar from the left crosses the ball at the near post. Udanta Singh dashes ahead and tries to put the ball in the back of the net but it hits his boot and goes wide of the goal.
3'
Foul
Mouhamadou Gning makes a foul on Suresh Wangjam in the attempt of winning the aerial ball. The referee spots that and awards a free-kick to Bengaluru FC. However, nothing comes out of it.
1'
Kick off!
The referee blows his whistle and the away side gets us underway!
Toss
Bengaluru FC have won the toss and have decided to start the half.
National Anthem
Both sets of players walk out to the middle for the Indian National Anthem.
Bengaluru FC Playing XI
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Rahul Bheke, Albert Serran, Harmanjot Khabra, Nishu Kumar, Francisco Borges, Erik Paartalu, Dimas Delgado (C), Udanta Singh, Suresh Wangjam, Deshorn Brown.
After yet another disappointing season, Kerala Blasters will be looking to end it on a high and give their home fans something to cheer about in their last game of the season in Kochi. After winning just 2 games at home all season, the hosts will look to surprise defending champions, Bengaluru FC. They have been good in front of goal but it is their defense which has been a disappointment throughout the tournament. Injuries have also not been kind on the home side and they have missed plenty of key players throughout the course of this campaign. The Manjappada will be eager to put the campaign's disappointment behind them and give their loyal fans something to cheer about. Bengaluru FC, on the other hand, have yet again qualified for the semi-final but they have not been as good in qualification as their last two seasons. The Blues though have done the most important part and that is they are still in contention to defend their title. The away side will be without their talisman, Sunil Chettri who is suspended for this game. With qualification secured, the visitors might be tempted to rest some of the key players before the semi-final. But they will also be eager to make it a double against the Blasters for the season. Can Kerala Blasters FC give their fans something to cheer about or will Bengaluru FC get another win over their southern rivals? Be ready for yet another exciting derby in the Indian Super League.