ISL: Kerala overcome Chennai in thrilling encounter to book final berth

Chennai Kerala Blasters struck thematchwinner deep into extra time in a thrilling secondleg semifinal to book a berth for the summit clash of theinaugural Hero Indian Super League football tournament on 43aggregate over Chennaiyin FC here todayThe edgeoftheseat match ended 33 at regulation periodand the match went into the extra time as the two teams ended33 on aggregate after the home and away games and ScotsmanStephen Paul Pearsons 117th minute strike made all thedifference in the endKerala Blasters FC player Stephen Pearson shirtless along with teammates celebrating after scoring a goal against Chennaiyin FC during the ISL semifinal match in Chennai on TuesdayKerala Blasters who barely scrapped into the semifinalshad come into todays match on a 30 advantage from their homewin but they were reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute afterJamie McAllister was sent off for his second yellow card forkicking Chennaiyin captain Bernard MendyA tenacious Kerala however held onto their defensivesolidity which had helped them to come this far and finallyemerged victorious in what could be the most pulsating matchof the entire tournament to book a place for the summit clashin Mumbai on December 20Former France international Mikael Silvestre putChennaiyin FC ahead in the 42nd minute and they were leading10 at the breather before the drama unfolded in the secondhalf2006 World Cup winner Italian and Chennaiyin FCcoachcumplayer Marco Materazzi shot his spot kick wide earlyin the second half in a retake and then Kerala player SandeshJhingan gifted an own goal to the home side in the 76th minutebefore Jeje Lalpekhlua made it 30 for Chennaiyin in the 90thminuteThe match finally ended with 10 men for both sides withMaterazzi who was involved in the infamous headbutt incidentwith legendary Frenchman Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cupfinal was himself sent off in the 104th minuteChennaiyin who made it to the semifinals as league phasetable toppers were the far more superior side throughout thematch as they were on oneman advantage from the 28th minuteonwards attacking and creating chances while the visitingteam were content with defending and making attacks on thecounterThe home side looked like they would seal the issue inthe extra time but it was the Kerala side coowned bycricket icon Sachin Tendulkar who had the last laugh and thehome supporters among the 25000odd crowd at the JawaharlalNehru Stadium the best attendance here in the ISL returnedhome heartbrokenThe match witnessed by the Bollywood superstar AmitabhBachchan and his Chennaiyin owner son Abhishek saw rough playby the rival teams and also incidents of players showing theirdispleasure on referees decision on many occasionsChennaiyin put up a heroic performance by wiping out thethreegoal deficit from the first leg but finally ended theircampaign todayChennaiyin found the lead in the 42nd minute from a deadball situation through a free kick from the left by Materazziwith defender Silvestre heading the ball in to go 10 up intothe breatherThroughout the first half Chennaiyin dictated terms ontheir opponents but Kerala were able to shock the pressurewith only 10 men on the field after Mcallister was given themarching ordersChennaiyin doubled the lead through an own goal byJhingan in the 76th minute Elano Blumers free kick led to amelee at the goal area and Sandip Nandy who were attended byteam doctor twice had already came out of his chargeAt this stage Djemba Djemba collected a free ball andshot goalward Jhingan thinking that Nady was guarding thegoal turned himself and chested the ball towards hisgoalkeeper who was out of his charge Thanks to thismisunderstanding Kerala Blasters were shattered totallyChennaiyins third goal was a beauty and wellplanned asMendy moved to the left and dodged past a couple of defendersbefore releasing a cross towards the goal and Jeje ran fromfar right to tap it inChennaiyin went all out for a winner but failed to get itin the regulation time and first 15 minutes of extra timeduring which Materazzi was red carded second yellow cardbefore Pearsons late strike that seal the issue for Kerala