Second half goals from Ghanaian Daniel Addo and Trinidadian Marcus Joseph secured three points for the home side after Nigerian Felix Chidi had scored his seventh of the 12th Hero I-League, to give Neroca a lead in the first half.

The win takes the Gokulam side to the ninth place on the points table. They are just above Minerva Punjab FC, thanks to a better head-to-head record.

More importantly, this steers them clear of the relegation zone, as bottom-placed Shillong Lajong can now only equal the Kozhikode-based side if they win their last two games. However, Gokulam have a better head-to-head record with Lajong, and thus cannot mathematically finish in the drop zone.

Neroca coach Manuel Fraile made as many as four changes to his starting XI before the game, while his Gokulam counterpart Gift Raikhan made two from their previous defeat against Aizawl.

The game began at a slow pace. Daniel Addo had a toe-poke in the 11th minute and then there was an effort by Chidi for Neroca at the quarter of an hour mark which ballooned over.

Then Eduardo could not connect for Neroca effectively with his header, off a free-kick in the 17th minute. Gokulam’s Nigerian forward Emmanuel was then put through by Arjun Jayaraj, but Naocha Singh in the Neroca defence made a timely interception to thwart him.

Neroca were using the right wing very effectively and the goal eventually came from there when Malem latched on to a ball on the channel and made a run towards the box. Looking up, he spotted a run from Japanese winger Katsumi Yusa inside the box and delivered a perfect cross.

The Japanese failed to connect but Felix Chidi stabbed home for an easy finish. It was the Nigerian’s seventh goal of the campaign.

From that point on, Gokulam were stirred into action with Marcus Joseph being the catalyst.

He first attempted a snapshot on target in the 28th minute but it brought about a good save from Lalit Thapa in the Neroca goal.

Another one from Marcus two minutes later was even better and more powerful, bringing about an even better reaction save from Thapa. He then lined up a third shot in the 33rd, a powerful strike this time from outside the box, but Thapa was up to it again.

The Trinidadian pro-league top scorer then got at the end of a decent cross from the right from Irshad, but his free-header from inside the box lacked direction. In the 38th minute, Deepak put in a good cross on the overlap for Emmanuel to just connect and get the direction right, but he faltered on the latter part from close to goal.

Gokulam did get the equalizer, not in the first half, but as soon as the second begun. Marcus passed seemingly harmlessly to Daniel Addo in the center of midfield well inside the Neroca half. The former U-20 FIFA World Cup winning Ghanaian, trapped, took a touch forward and then looking up to spot the opportunity, unleashed a well-placed powerful right-footed strike to beat Thapa all ends up.

Bhutanese winger Chencho had a chance to get Neroca back ahead a few minutes later, after Malem had set him up inside the box but Arnab Das Sharma in the Gokulam goal came up with a save this time.

A minute later, Emmanuel rounded keeper Thapa, but missed the target from inside the box wide on the left. He failed to connect again a minute later after an Arjun Jayaraj cross found him. Thapa was equal to it again.

Gokulam were not to be denied their first win in an incredible 13 games and in close to four months though, as in the 82nd minute, Daneil Addo with the assist this time, found Marcus with a lovely ball from his own half.

The Trinidadian broke away, and with the ball on his favorite left-foot in a one-on-one with Thapa, placed it in the Neroca net over the keeper’s left shoulder. Yet another clinical finish and his sixth goal in his eighth Hero I-League game.

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Rahul K.P. scored for Arrows in the first half. Trinidadian striker Marcu Leric Joseph’s second half goal denied Arrows a repeat result of the previous leg. It was his fourth goal in as many games.

The game was a dour affair as both teams played without inspiration. The fact that both teams are already out of the reckoning for the title must have contributed to it.

Gokulam is 10th in the league table after 16 games and Arrows is on seventh after 18 games.

Floyd Pinto’s Arrows made four changes to their starting XI from the previous game. They brought back Prabhsukan Gill in goal for Samik Mitra who had started in the game against Chennai.

Deepak Tangri, Rahim Ali and Rahul KP replaced Jitendra Singh, Suresh Singh, and Ninthoi in the playing XI.

Gokulam under the tutelage of Technical Director Gift Raikhan made only one change, with Suhair replacing Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Castro.

Arrows withstood early pressure from Gokulam and took the lead in the 22nd minute through Rahul K.P.

Ashish Rai delivered the cross from the right flank to Rahim Ali positioned inside the box, wide on the left. Rahim brought down a cushioned header towards Rahul, who made a run from the middle of the box. The ball landed to Rahul who had to check his run with his back towards goal. He swiveled and volleyed on the turn to beat keeper Arnab Das Sharma all ends up.

Arrows took the one-goal lead into the break.

Gokulam got the equalizer in the 64th minute through Joseph — the top scorer of the Trinidadian pro-league.

Substitute Arjun Jayaraj made the initial foray with a run down the left of the box. His ball intended for Marcus was cut-off by the Arrows defence. It came back off a defender and fell to Joseph who drilled the ball home with a left-footed strike.

Fabian denied Arrows the second goal in the 70th minute with a brilliant goalline save.

Joseph — the ‘Hero of the Game’ — missed a golden chance to win the game in the dying moments.

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