Kochi : Kerala Blasters FC lived up to the home crowd’s expectations as they edged past NorthEast United FC 1-0 and sealed a place in the semi-finals of Hero Indian Super League at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi.
Kerala Blasters needed only a point to qualify for semi-finals while NorthEast United would have gone through at Kerala’s expense if they had won all points. But Kerala did not disappoint the massive 53000 plus home crowd present at the stadium with CK Vineeth scoring the all-important goal in the 66th minute.
The win helped Kerala Blasters finish second with 22 points and will now meet third-placed Delhi Dynamos in the two-leg semi-final battle. League toppers Mumbai City FC will face Atletico de Kolkata in the other semi-final.
Both teams started nervously trying to gauge each other’s strengths but it were Kerala Blasters who were in command.
