A late own goal by Milos Drincic saw Kerala Blasters’ ISL playoff hopes extinguished as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Jamshedpur FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday. The result leaves Kerala Blasters in ninth place (25 points), mathematically unable to reach the playoffs. Jamshedpur, who had already secured their playoff spot, climb to third.
The Blasters, needing a victory to keep their slim playoff chances alive, dominated much of the match. They took the lead in the 34th minute when Korou Singh finished an angled shot after a headed pass from Dusan Lagator. The home side almost doubled their advantage shortly after, but Naocha Singh failed to connect with an Adrian Luna cross.
Kerala Blasters continued to create chances in the second half. Luna’s shot went over the bar, and Vibin Mohanan narrowly missed the target. Jamshedpur’s leading scorer, Javier Hernandez, also had an attempt go wide.
Just as it appeared the Blasters would secure a crucial victory, Jamshedpur equalized in the 86th minute. Drincic, attempting to intercept a shot from Rei Tachikawa, inadvertently directed the ball into his own net.
The draw eliminates Kerala Blasters from playoff contention, while Jamshedpur FC improve their position. The match highlighted Kerala Blasters’ missed opportunities and a cruel twist of fate that ended their season.
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