Hero Indian Super League (ISL) table toppers Atlético de Kolkata welcomed botom-placed Kerala Blasters FC at the Saltlake Stadium, Kolkata today.
Atlético took the lead in the 22nd minute when Baljit Singh Sahni fired home a powerful shot off a Cavin Lobo lay-off to beat Kerala Blasters goalkeeper David James.
Kerala Blasters were able to score the equaliser minutes before the half-time whistle, as Milagres Gonsalves put Iain Hume in a perfect position with a great back flick. The Canadian international made no mistake in front of the goal and slotted home for the visitors.
Baljit almost put the hosts once again in the lead, when his shot was just denied by the crossbar in the 53rd minute.
Both sides settled for a 1-1 draw at the end as Kerala Blasters FC finally managed to claim their first point in the inaugural 2014 Hero Indian Super League.
2014 Hero Indian Super League
at Saltlake Stadium, Kolkata
ATLÉTICO DE KOLKATA 1-1 KERALA BLASTERS FC
GOALS
1-0 Baljit Singh Sahni (22′)
1-1 Iain Hume (41′)
LINE-UPS
Atlético de Kolkata
1 Subhasish Roy Chowdhury – 4 Kingshuk Debnath, 5 Arnab Mondal, 17 Josemi, 2 Biswajit Saha (46′ 21 Jakub Podany) – 23 Ofentse Nato, 8 Borja Fernández [C] – 6 Baljit Singh Sahni, 7 Cavin Lobo (66′ 20 Rakesh Masih), 11 Jofre Mateu – 24 Arnal Llibert (89′ 14 Mohammed Rafi)
Unused Subs
25 Apoula Edel – 15 Sanju Pradhan, 22 Lester Fernandez, 26 Sylvain Monsoreau
Kerala Blasters FC
70 David James – 5 Nirmal Chettri, 16 Gurwinder Singh, 2 Cedric Hengbart, 15 Sandesh Jhingan (88′ 29 Saumik Dey) – 14 Mehtab Hossain – 22 Raphaël Romey (75′ 6 Potsangbam Renedy Singh), 18 Penn Ikechukwu Orji [C], 25 Stephen Pearson – 10 Iain Hume, 88 Milagres Gonsalves (80′ 27 Andrew Barisic)
Unused Subs
24 Sandip Nandy – 3 Jamie McAllister, 9 Pedro Gusmao, 11 Ishfaq Ahmed, 12 CS Sabeeth, 23 Avinabo Bag, 32 Colin Falvey, 44 Erwin Spitzner
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee
Arumughan Rowan (India)
Assistant Referees
…, …
Fourth Official
…
BOOKINGS
Yellow Cards
20′ Raphaël Romey (Kerala Blasters FC)
62′ Baljit Singh Sahni (Atlético de Kolkata)
73′ Iain Hume (Kerala Blasters FC)
76′ Rakesh Masih (Atlético de Kolkata)
Yellow-Red Cards
none
Red Cards
none
MAN OF THE MATCH
Iain Hume (Kerala Blasters FC)