New Delhi: Sehnaj Singh struck an injury time goal as Delhi Dynamos held Kerala Blasters to a 3-3 draw in a high-scoring thriller, to preserve their unbeaten home record in the Indian Super League (ISL) here on Thursday.
The 17,000-odd crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium were treated with a six-goal thriller, with five of them coming in the first half itself.
Kerala scored through Chris Dagnall (9th minute), Joao Coimbra (30th) and Antonio German (39th), while Delhi hit back with goals from Gustavo Dos Santos (7th minute), Adil Nabi (40th minute) and Sehnaj Singh (90+2nd minute).
Delhi continue to occupy the third spot on the ISL table with 22 points, the same as FC Goa, and will play each other in the concluding league clash on Sunday.
Kerala finished with 13 points, the same as bottom-placed Mumbai City FC but are now on seventh position on the table.
It seemed like business as usual when Delhi took the lead inside the first seven minutes. The irrepressible Dos Santos opened the scoring as the Brazilian winger made a fine run to intercept a lovely chip from Florent Malouda and then glide it home with his first touch.
Kerala may have been momentarily pegged back by that early setback but two minutes later they were on level terms, thanks largely to a defensive error from Delhi defender Anas Edathodika who missed a simple clearance and allowed Dagnall an easy scoring opportunity.
Kerala were ahead for the first time in the 30th minute as Coimbra came up with a gem of a strike. The Portuguese star dazzled his way inside the box on the right, cut past a couple of defenders and then curled the ball to the top corner of the Delhi net.
Coimbra's goal was followed by another stunning strike, this time from German. The English striker chested a ball into the box with his back to the goal and finished with a brilliant volley that left Delhi goalkeeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhury rooted to the spot.
There was still time for another strike in the first half as Delhi clawed their way back with a goal of their own in the 40th minute.
It was Nabi who showed just why he is a Premier League footballer as the on-loan West Bromwich Albion striker got on the end of a cross from Shylo Malsawmtluanga and headed it right past goalkeeper Sandip Nandy who hardly had any time to react.
In the second half, Delhi had more control of the proceedings but it was not until the five minutes of added time that they managed to find the equaliser. It came from the boots of Sehnaj who, provided with time to take aim at goal from almost 30 yards out, took everyone by surprise with a cracker of a strike.
(with agency inputs)