ISL 3: Win over Blasters takes Delhi on top of table

by Chittu Shetty November 5, 2016

Two quick second half goals from Kean Lewis and Marcelinho sends Delhi to the top of the table after eight games in the third edition of Indian Super league

Delhi started with two changes with Kean Lewis and Marcelinho back in the playing eleven replacing Rupert Nongrum and Bruno Pelissari. For the Visitors, Aaron Hughes was away for international duty and so Ndoye paired up with Cedric Hengbart, Ishfaq Ahmed and Didier Kadio replaced Mohammed Rafique and Michael Chopra.

In the 12^th minute, in a counter attacking move involving Belfort and Mohammed Rafique, the ball was passed to Josu Currais, whose cross to the far-post was brilliantly defended by Anas Edathodika.

Minutes later, Didier Kadio tried a long ranger but missed the target by some distance. Around half hour mark, Marcelinho was sent through by gadze, but brazilian’s shot hit the side-netting. Few minutes later, Gadze failed to connect a long ball by Ruben Rocha on target.

On the other side, Belfort’s pin-point cross was met by Kadio, whose diving header from the edge of the box missed the target by a inches.

Both teams failed to beat the net as first half ended with score-line still at 0-0.

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Finally nine minutes into second half, Nandy under pressure from an onrushing Gadze failed to deal with a routine back-pass conceding the ball to Gadze. But while gadze got control of the ball completely, Nandy and Blasters defence had recovered and closing on him. Gadze did well to the pass the ball to Kean Lewis, who kept his calm to send the ball to the empty net.

Minutes later, Delhi had double their lead as Florent Malouda’s probing cross was headed home by an unmarked Marcelinho at the far post. Soon, Delhi had another go when a Marcelinho’s shot was unconventionally blocked by Nandy as the ball fell to gadze but his shot from close range was over the bar.

Looking to get back into the game, Kerala brought on Antonio German, Duckens Nazon and Pratik Chowdhary, but the substitution did little help, as blasters lacked the final finishing move for the goal.

The match ended with Delhi taking full three points and going to the top of the table, while Blasters five games unbeaten run coming to an end.

Delhi Dynamos 2 (Kean lewis 56’, Marcelinho 60’) – 0 Kerala Blasters FC