In order to gain momentum going into the Indian Super League playoffs, Hyderabad FC defeated Kerala Blasters.
In the final Indian Super League match before the playoffs on Sunday, Kerala Blasters FC lost 1-0 to Hyderabad FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, meaning they failed to finish the league season with the best home record. The Blasters suffered their third straight defeat as Borja Herrera scored the game’s lone goal in the 29th minute for the defending champions.
Javier Siverio’s close-range attempt that was headed for the goal was quickly stopped by Marko Leskovic in the first 10 minutes of the game. Joel Chianese, who received the rebound, took a second touch before volleying it onto the crossbar.
Three minutes later, Adrian Luna noticed Vibin Mohanan hiding near the edge of the box, and the hosts nearly scored first. He attempted to curl it into the top right corner but saw it fly wide as the Uruguayan squared it from the left side straight into his path.
The visitors took the lead in the 29th minute thanks to Borja Herrera. Sahil Tavora’s brilliant midfield run that saw him cut into the middle from the right before feeding Halicharan Narzary on the left set up the move. The winger brought it back into the penalty area, where Herrera successfully placed a first-time shot inside the far post.
Kerala Blasters FC attempted to connect together a few passes in the first 10 minutes of the second half in an effort to trouble the Hyderabad FC defence. Unfortunately, the attackers blundered in the final third as a few opportunities went awry and others were stopped by the defence of the visitors.
Four minutes past the hour, replacement Joao Victor hauled down Luna near the outside of the box, giving the Blasters a promising opportunity. Victor and his teammates exhaled a big sigh of relief when the Uruguayan picked it up and fired it over the bar.
In the final four minutes, two Hyderabad FC replacements worked well together but were unable to end the game. Aaren D’Silva was unmarked as Abdul Anjukandan sent an attractive ball into the box and found him directly in front of the goal. The attacker’s header missed the mark, but Hyderabad FC managed to hold on to the victory and the three points, finishing the league campaign with 10 clean sheets.
Now that the 2022–23 ISL league stage is over, attention is turning to the playoffs, where both of these teams will meet once again. Hyderabad FC will play in the two-leg semifinal on March 9 and 13 against either ATK Mohun Bagan or Odisha FC after taking second place. On March 3, Kerala Blasters FC will meet their bitter rival Bengaluru FC in the first round of the playoffs.
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