Kerala Blasters FC secured a 1-0 victory over Punjab FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
A penalty from Noah Sadaoui in the first half was enough to give Kerala the victory. Despite facing adversity with two red cards in the final quarter, Kerala held firm. As a result, Kerala Blasters FC became only the third team in ISL history to win after receiving two red cards, joining Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC.
Kerala Blasters FC Back in Playoff Race
With this crucial win, Kerala Blasters FC moved to within three points of sixth-placed Odisha FC, keeping their playoff hopes alive. In contrast, Punjab FC suffered their fourth consecutive defeat. The team was further weakened by the absence of key players Luka Majcen and Ezequiel Vidal, who were serving suspensions.
Slow Start, Kerala Shows Early Promise
The match began cautiously, with both teams prioritizing defense. However, Kerala Blasters FC demonstrated more urgency in attack, especially through their forward Noah Sadaoui. On the other hand, Punjab FC enjoyed more possession but struggled to create meaningful chances in the opening 20 minutes.
Kerala Comes Close
In the 24th minute, Kerala Blasters FC had a chance when Noah Sadaoui delivered a perfect cross to Korou Singh. However, Singh’s header went wide. Just three minutes later, Kerala came even closer when Adrian Luna’s powerful shot was saved by Punjab’s goalkeeper Muheet Shabir.
Finally, Kerala Blasters FC broke the deadlock in the 44th minute. Noah made a surging run down the left flank, where he was fouled by Suresh Meetei in the box. This led to a penalty, which Noah calmly converted, giving Kerala a 1-0 lead.
Second Half Struggles
The second half saw Kerala make a tactical change, bringing on Leon Augustine for more pace. However, things took a turn in the 58th minute when Milos Drincic was sent off for a second yellow card. As a result, Kerala was reduced to 10 men. To adjust, coach TG Purushothaman substituted Pritam Kotal for added defensive strength and later replaced Noah with Alexandre Coeff to solidify the defense.
More Drama with a Red Card
The situation worsened for Kerala in the 74th minute when Aibanbha Dohling was sent off for a dangerous tackle. This left Kerala with only nine players on the field, making their task even more difficult.
Kerala Holds Strong
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Kerala Blasters FC stood strong defensively. Punjab FC pressed for an equalizer, but Kerala’s defense held firm, thwarting every attempt by the Rudras.
Noah’s Impact
Noah, despite playing only 65 minutes, was the defining player. He scored the only goal of the match, created three chances, provided five crosses, and completed 14 out of 17 passes.
Looking ahead, Punjab FC will travel to Guwahati to face NorthEast United on January 10, while Kerala Blasters FC will host Odisha FC on January 13.
