Kerala Blasters were held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man NorthEast United in the Indian Super League in Guwahati on Sunday.
Noah Sadaoui scored for the second match in a row as the Blasters bounced back after going down to a goalkeeping blunder from Sachin Suresh that gave NorthEast the lead in the 59th minute through Moroccan striker Alaeddine Ajaraie.
But the lead didn't last long, and for the third match in a row the Blasters came back from behind to equalise. It was their Moroccan, Sadaoui, who made it 1-1 in the 67th minute.
Sadaoui's left-foot strike after cutting inside from the right was placed neatly into a corner. The equaliser came following sustained pressure from Mikael Stahre's side playing their first away match of the season.
The hosts took the lead in the 59th minute courtesy of a freekick goal from Ajaraie that rolled in from the clutches of Blasters custodian Sachin. Ajarie's strike was powerful and on target as he went through the Blasters wall. But Sachin was well positioned to collect it. However, what should have been easy pickings turned into a blunder allowing Ajaraie to net his third goal of the season.
The game took a dramatic turn shortly after the Blasters equaliser as Asheer Akhtar was given a straight red, the first of the season, for a tackle on Sadaoui. After that, the visitors went for the kill and substitute Mohammed Aimen was at the end of two excellent chances but couldn't finish.
First, the young Lakshadweep winger was denied by a last-man tackle from Zabaco. Vibin Mohanan had played a brilliant through ball from the deep to spot Aimen's run. The Malayali took it around the keeper with a smart touch, but before he could finish into an empty net, the Spanish defender came charging down to deny him. In added time, Sadoui found Aimen unmarked in the box, but the youngster scuffed the shot. In a welcome update, Blasters' talisman, Adrian Luna, came on as a second half substitute to get his first minutes of the season.
