Kochi: Kerala Blasters went down fighting 1-2 to FC Goa in their ISL match here on Sunday. After C K Vineeth canceled out an early strike by Ferran Corominas, midfielder Edu Bedia headed home the winner for the Goans in the 77th minute.
The win took Goa's points tally to 19 from 10 matches and they remain in fourth spot. Meanwhile, Blasters' hopes of qualifying for the semifinals suffered a big setback with the defeat. The Yellow Brigade slipped to seventh in the 10-team league. Blasters have 14 points from 12 games and next meet bottom-placed Delhi Dynamos in Kochi on Saturday.
Blasters goalkeeper Paul Rachubka did really well to avoid a self goal in the 74th after Nemanja Lakic-Pesic almost directed one into his own net under pressure from striker Ferran Corominas. But Bedia ensured Goa pocketed three points with a superb header off a corner kick.
Striker Iain Hume and C K Vineeth, who both missed the previous encounter against Goa, combined to make life difficult for the visitors in the second half.
Unlucky Vineeth
Hume picked out Vineeth with a perfect pass in the 62nd. Vineeth got into the rival box and fell down after a slight contact with Mohamed Ali. But his appeal for a penalty fell on deaf ears as referee Rahul Kumar Gupta waved play on.
Soon, Vineeth's bicycle kick off a Jackichand Singh cross went wide.
Earlier, Vineeth was back among the goals as both sides went into the break on level terms.
Vineeth made no mistake after receiving a flick-on from Siam Hanghal and side-footed it past Goan goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani in the 29th minute.
Early goal
Star striker Corominas drew first blood for the Goans as early as the seventh minute. The Spaniard received a pass from Mandar Rao Desai and slotted it past Rachubka.
Corominas, who had buried Blasters with a seven-minute hat-trick in the earlier fixture, raced down the right wing and entered the penalty area in the 15th. But an alert Sandesh Jhingan averted the danger by conceding a corner kick.
Blasters were unlucky to see a rasping shot by Hanghal smash the crossbar in the 26th.
Blasters, who lost Ugandan midfielder Kizito Keziron to an injury, suffered another jolt in the 36th as Rino Anto picked up an injury and had to be substituted.