We now know who is going to be in the final of The Hero Indian Super League 2016 after last night's game between Delhi Dynamos and Kerala Blasters ended up going to penalties with Kerala coming out as eventual winners.
Kerala went into the game with a one goal advantage from the semi final first leg and set out to try and increase that lead rather than sit back and see if see if a draw would take them through. Delhi also started in a very positive frame of mind but were rocked back when their central midfield player Milan Singh received a red card after about 30 minutes for a very high tackle on Mehtab Hossain. Though they played from then on with only 10 men Delhi were the better side but failed to convert any of the chances created until Marcelinho scored and tied the game at 1-1. Their joy was short lived as Duckens Nazon replied for Kerala immediately with a good individual goal to again put Kerala in front on aggregate. As the first half came towards an end Delhi surprised even themselves by stealing a second goal from a free kick, a deflected header by centre back Ruben Rocha, and again bringing the game to all square. The second half and both the periods of extra time were goalless, and Delhi still looked the better footballing team even though a man short. Kerala wasted chance after chance by individuals trying to steal the glory for themselves. It was to be a penalty shoot out. Josu from Kerala was first up, even though he was now suspended for the final having picked up a second yellow card, and he got Kerala off to the perfect start with a solid penalty. Florent Malouda strode up purposefully to take the first for Delhi, the best Marquee player of the season, and surprised everybody in the stadium by blasting his penalty miles over the top of the crossbar. He was not on his own, two more penalties were missed by Delhi from their first four with Kerala's Antonio German also missing. Kerala were therefore through to the final and another meeting with Atletico de Kolkata on Sunday 18th December. This fixture is a repeat of the 2014 final which eventually saw Kolkata crowned as the first Champions of the Hero Indian Super League. After working at both semi final venues over the last two days I am now sitting on a Vistara plane at Delhi airport heading to Kochi, in Kerala, the venue for the final. It is expected to attract a full house again, but personally I think it will be a full house plus a few thousand more.
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AuthorRussell Osman is a former England & Ipswich Footballer, 4 Handicap Golfer and Father of 3. Archives
April 2018
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