ISL 2020-21: Kerala Blasters secure first win of season; beat Hyderabad FC 2-0

Kerala Blasters secured their first win of the Indian Super League 2020-21 season, beating Hyderabad FC 2-0 at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa.

Defender Abdul Hakku, playing his first game of the season, scored the first goal with a powerful header in the 29^th minute. Striker Jordan Murray then doubled the lead in the 88^th minute with low right-footed strike.

Blasters coach Kibu Vicuna went for an all-Indian backline, resting experienced full-backs Costa Nhamoinesu and Bakary Kone, against a speedy and promising Hyderabad FC team. The move paid off as the Hyderabad FC attack failed to break open the defence though they had their chances throughtout the game.

The first chance of the game went the Men in Yellow's way in the third minute, when Murray got the ball in the Hyderabad penalty box but failed to control it properly, allowing the defenders to clear it away.

Eight minutes later, Kerala Blasters had a golden opportunity when Asish Rai failed to clear a long ball and Sahal Abdul Samad got hold of it, but his attempted cross was cleared out for a corner by an alert Odei Onaindia.

Hyderabad FC had a chance of their own in the 21^st minute, but Joao Victor's tame header went straight into the hands of Blasters custodian Albino Gomes.

The first goal came off a controversial corner. The ball seemed to have come off Blasters' Vincente Gomez but the referee thought otherwise. The resultant corner by Facundo Perera was headed in by Hakku.

The Hyderabad FC players, including skipper Aridane Santana, had a rather off day as the youngsters like Asish Rai, Hitesh Sharma, Mohammed Yasir and Liston Colaco, who had impressed this season, failed to test the Blasters defence enough.

They had several chances to equalise, with the best one coming at the stroke of half-time when a wonderful cross into the Blasters box from Rai found Santana, but he failed to connect properly with only the goalkeeper to beat.

The second half saw the Blasters attacking with renewed vigour, with almost three chances coming their way. Sahal came the closest to doubling the lead but could only hit the side-netting. Blasters' relentless efforts nearly bore fruit in the 58^th minute but K.P. Rahul's deflected shot was saved brilliantly by Subrata Paul.

Hyderabad FC tried to hustle up things bringing in Souvik Chakrabarti and Laldanmawia Ralte but it failed to produce the desired results. Halicharan Narzary, however, produced a moment of brilliance in the 80^th minute when he dribbled past the defenders on the left and unleashed a right-footer but it missed the top post by a whisker.

Hyderabad FC were denied yet again in the 87^th minute when Gomes blocked Fran Sandaza's shot at the goal from the right flank.

But, in the next minute, Blasters put it beyond Hyderabad FC's reach when Murray pounced on a lucky deflection and buried it low into the net.

Kerala Blasters will now play Mumbai City FC on January 2, while Hyderabad will take on FC Goa on December 30.