I-LEAGUE

Gokulam Kerala end five-game winless run with five-star win

Gokulam Kerala posted a thumping 5-0 win over Delhi FC to end their five-game winless run in the I-League. Adama Niane scored a brace (41, 63), while Rahul Raju (81), Sinisa Stanisavic (89) and Ignacio De Loyola Abeledo (90+5) completed the five-star win for Antonio Rueda's side.

After starting the season with a 3-2 win over Sreenidi Deccan in Hyderabad, Gokulam posted two 1-1 results before losing 0-1 to Churchill Brothers at home. Gokulam failed to score in their next two matches that ended goalless. With their second win of the campaign, Gokulam have climbed to third position in the points table on 11 points from seven matches, 2 behind league leaders Churchill.

Delhi made a positive start by attempting a few shots on target, but Shibinraj Kunniyil was alert in front of the Gokulam goal. The visitors took control of the match, and Stanisavic, on his debut, forced a brilliant save from Lalmuansanga with a header. Gokulam were rewarded a penalty in the 41st minute, and though Niane saw his kick saved, he converted the rebound.

The hosts came back stronger in the second half, but their attempts to find parity left the door open for Gokulam attackers to exploit. Niane rounded Lalmuansanga to get his brace shortly after the hour. Raju's strike with 10 minutes of regulation time left in the match came as a result of a defensive error from Danilo Augusto.

The visitors were determined to add more to the tally, and an unmarked Stanisavic made it 4-0 with a tap-in before Abeledo's powerful left-foot drive made it a truly five-star win.