Okay then. The final day of the week and the final game of the week. And for the second time this week I get to write about David James and his Kerala Blasters. This time they take on FC Goa. That’s table-topping FC Goa to you. It’s also the second time this week they have the “honour” of being previewed by me.
So how did the matches I previewed earlier with these two go then?
Oh look, it wasn’t a draw!
Kerala didn’t draw a football match. This is not a drill. I repeat, Kerala did not draw a football match. But if you’re a Kerala fan I suspect you’d rather have drawn this one.
The match against Bengaluru is a rivalry and those are never fun to lose. It’s especially not fun to lose it late in the game. Does that ring a bell? Because late action has basically been Kerala’s season so far.
Bengaluru took the lead after 17 minutes thanks to Sunil Chhetri. After half an hour of play, Slavisa Stojanovic equalised for Kerala from the penalty spot. But then, with nine minutes left to tick down on the clock, Nikola Krcmarevic put the ball in his own net to give the win to Bengaluru. Did I hear anyone say late heartbreak?
That brings Kerala’s run of games without a win to five, stretching back to the opening day.
Can Goa keep the goals coming?
If Kerala’s last game had heartbreak at the end, the opposite was the situation for Goa against struggling Delhi Dynamos.
Bikramjit Singh kickstarted the game for Delhi as he scored after only six minutes. That was the only goal in the first half, but boy was the second half eventful. Edu Bedia levelled it for Goa after 54 minutes, but then Lallianzuala Chhangte popped up with his second goal of the season to give the lead back to Delhi.
It looked like the Dynamos were going to sneak away with a win, but Brandon Fernandes had other ideas and brought it all back on level terms just eight minutes before the final whistle. And to make matters worse for Delhi Dynamos Bedia came back to hurt them again and scored his second of the game with only one minute on the clock remaining.
Predictions, predictions, predictions
So, it’s prediction time yet again. It is really tempting to say that it’s all going to go the obvious way. Goa take the lead. Kerala pull it back. Then Goa squeeze a win in the final ten minutes of the match. And I think that is the prediction I’m going to make.
Goa need to win to make sure they stay top of the table as both Bengaluru and Mumbai City are level on points with them.
Just to add a little fun I think it’s going to be Edu Bedia who will keep his form from the last game and score another winner for Goa.
