NorthEast United FC made a dramatic comeback from two goals down and a missed penalty to snatch a 2-2 draw against Kerala Blasters in an ISL 2020-21 match at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim.
Subsitute Idrissa Sylla scored the equaliser in the 90th minute of the match to break the hearts of the Kerala Blasters fans. Though he was in an off-side position, the line referee failed to notice it, and Sylla made full use of the let-off, chesting down a long pass inside the KBFC box and depositing it in the top left corner of the net with his left foot.
NEUFC had a great chance to equalise in the 65th minute when they were awarded a penalty for a push by KBFC left-back Jessel Carneiro, but the Highlanders' first goal scorer Kwesi Appiah's shot bounced off the post. The Ghanian had halved the deficit in the 51st minute for NEUFC, when he poked the ball into the net from a rebound on the goalline after KBFC defenders failed to clear a corner.
Despite the result, the Blasters played some attacking football throughout the match, which was a welcome change for them, having struggled to put a shot on target in their opening match against ATK Mohun Bagan, that they lost 0-1. Blasters brought in Rohit Kumar in the midfield and Nishu Kumar in the defence and it worked in their favour, as the team played with positive intent and created several chances.
While Sergio Cidoncha opened the scoring in the 5th minute with a header off a Seityasen Singh free-kick, Gary Hooper converted from the spot in the stoppage time of the first half.
Hooper, in fact, could have made it 2-0 much earlier in the 23rd minute, but he flashed the ball wide over the crossbar after a brilliant one-two with Cidoncha, with only the keeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury to beat.
Though NEUFC, who stunned Mumbai City FC 1-0 in their opener, were stung by the early goal, they reorganised themselves and started creating chances of their own. Khassa Camara, who was their Hero of the Match in the last game, and Ninthoinganba combining to force a timely interception from Jessel Carneiro in the 19th minute.
In the 30th minute, right-back Ashutosh Mehta raced with the ball into the KBFC box but his shot from a tight angle went wide.
Though both the teams continued to create chances, a goal remained elusive, until the stoppage time. Two attempts from KBFC defender Costa Nhamoinesu were blocked on the goalline, but when Lalthathanga Khawlhring rushed in to take another shot at the rebound, NEUFC's Rakesh Pradhan slashed at him from behind, resulting in the penalty.
With a two-goal lead, KBFC looked set for their first win of the season, but because of defensive errors and a late goal, both of which had been their bane last season, they had to settle for a point instead of three.
