Trailing 2-0 in first-half, Kerala Blasters FC made an epic comeback to hammer FC Goa 4-2 at the Kaloor Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday. Daisuke Sakai (51), Dimitrios Doamantakos (81, 84) and Fedor Cernych (88) found the net for the home side.
It was the first time the Kochi-based side managed to win a game after going down by two goals. On the other hand, FC Goa gaffer Manolo Marquez experienced the bitterness of defeat for the first time after enjoying a two-goal lead.
Kerala Blasters found the net thrice in the final five minutes of the regular time to overturn the ISL match. Stand-in skipper Dimitrios Doamantakos was involved in all three of the goals as he scored the first two before setting another for Fedor Cernych. It was the Lithuanian Cernych's first goal on Indian soil. Doamantakos first scored from the spot before capitalising on a mistake made by the rival custodian to earn his team the lead before a packed Manjappada. For the visitor, Rowlin Borges (7) and Mohammad Yasir (17) were on target.
KBFC registered a win after three consecutive defeats. The result helped them leapfrog past FC Goa with 29 points from games. The Gaurs are at 28 having played a game fewer.