Kozhikode (Kerala) [India], February 18 (ANI): Gokulam Kerala FC registered a brilliant 6-3 win over Delhi FC in the I-League 2024-25 encounter at the EMS Corporation Stadium, as per the AIFF Media Team.
Gokulam’s half a dozen came in a game where they went down to an early goal. The win took them into the top half of the table with 22 points from 15 matches, while deepening Delhi’s woes. The visitors are rooted to the foot of the table with just two points in their last nine games and overall 10 points after Round 15.
In a blistering start, Delhi shocked the hosts by taking an early lead, when Gwgwmsar Gayary gave them the lead in the third minute of the game. The young forward had been played into the box by a brilliant reverse pass from Samir Binong, and Gayary showed remarkable composure to finish smartly with a low shot into the far corner.
The lead didn’t last long, as Gokulam equalised ten minutes later. A cut back by V Suhair fell to Martin Chaves inside the box. The Uruguayan was brought down inside the six yard box, and as the Delhi players looked around, he got back and slammed a low shot from an acute angle into the goal. The visitors had paid the price for not playing to the whistle.
Eight minutes later Gokulam took the lead, Adam Niane brilliantly heading in Ignacio Abeledo’s cross at the near post. Niane could well have had himself a hat-trick in the first half itself, missing two chances right at the end of the period, when it was perhaps easier to score than most.
The Malian forward made up for those misses with a second in the 54th minute, that effectively killed the game, capitalising on a defensive mix up after Chaves’ cross had caused chaos to slam the ball home from five yards.
The pick of the goals arrived three minutes later, when Gokulam were already playing the tunes of a victory procession. Having picked up Niane’s pass inside the box, Abeledo cut past Lalmuansanga, shifted the ball on to his left foot and unleashed a brilliant curler into the far corner. Three Delhi defenders had hit the line hoping to make a save. None had a chance.
Hridaya Jain reduced the deficit in the 64th minute, brilliantly turning in a cross from the left on the volley. it didn’t matter though as Delhi’s defence continued to capitulate. In the 75th minute, Abeledo snuck in behind to volley a Chaves’ cross from close angle to make it five for the home side.
Cameroonian Stephane Binong scored a third for Delhi in the 81st minute, bullying Gokulam’s defenders inside the box before slamming home a loose aerial ball into the net. Buoyed by the goal, Delhi kept coming forward in numbers searching for an improbable end to the game and at least a point from it.
Gokulam took full advantage of it and Ranjeet Pandre won the ball deep in their half before finishing smartly from outside the box to make it half a dozen for the hosts in the 90+9th minute, and wrap up the points. (ANI)
