Had Daisuke Sakai not missed a simple tap-in in extra time, Kerala Blasters FC could have celebrated a memorable home victory against Chennaiyin FC on Wednesday. With the score level at 3-3 in the 94th minute, defender Milos Drincic dribbled past the CFC defenders to cross the ball to the Japanese midfielder in front of the goal. With the goalkeeper beaten and no defenders in front, Sakai just had to guide the ball in. However, he sent the ball wide of the net.
The draw meant Kerala Blasters went past FC Goa by a point to top the point table (17) although the former champions have played two games fewer than the Yellow Army. Chennaiyin are in the seventh position with eight points.
Trailing 2-3 at half-time, KBFC's star striker Dimitrios Diamantakos scored his second goal of the night in the 59th minute to make the scoreboard even. For the Chennai-based team, Jordan Murray scored twice after Rahim Ali scored the game's opener just one minute into the game.
After Ali's strike, it only took KBFC ten minutes to equalise as Diamantakos scored from the spot. The penalty was awarded for a foul on Kwame Peprah. The celebration only lasted a couple of minutes as Jordan converted a penalty at the other end in the 13th minute.
Another brilliant finish from Murray in the 24th minute against the run of play stunned the homeside, but Peprah managed to pull one back before the half-time whistle to take the score to 2-3.
Sakai was introduced in the 86th minute after KBFC skipper Adrian Luna, who was yet again brilliant in the middle of the field, was substituted.
Blasters showed character before their ever-enthusiast fans to come from behind not once but twice to split points with a gritty opposition. KBFC enjoyed 59 per cent of ball possession and had 15 shots on goal as opposed to CFC's tally of 9.
Chennaiyin FC will next take on Jamshedpur on December 7 at home while Kerala Blasters are up against FC Goa away on December 3.
