Action from the match between Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City FC
Kochi : Kerala Blasters dominated from the opening minute to the final whistle but could not find the decisive touch, settling for a goalless draw against Mumbai City FC in their first home match under the new management at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday.
With Kerala players committed high up the pitch, Mumbai launched a swift counter-attack. The best spell of the game arrived in the 25th minute, when both sides created dangerous chances in quick succession. Nebojsa Kosovic opened up Mumbai’s defence with a clever back-heel pass into the path of Korou Singh on the right. Korou advanced into the box but failed to pick out his waiting teammates, instead pulling a low ball back towards the edge of the area. Noufal then curled a right-footed effort towards goal, forcing goalkeeper Amrinder Singh into an important save as he punched the ball away from danger. In the final minute of regulation time, Ebindas produced a fine run down the right and beat Hridaya Jain before going down after a tackle inside the box. Blasters appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on.
Fifteen minutes later, coach Ashley Westwood introduced Ebindas Yesudasan for Sanan and Andre Green for an ineffective Momo Yansane. Blasters made changes after the interval, with Sreekuttan MS replacing Korou on the left wing. The Blasters also shifted from a four-man defence to a three-man back line in search of a winner, but the breakthrough never came.