Teams in this weekend's matches in the Indian Super League (ISL) were given a boost by the Friday night defeat of pace-setting Atletico de Kolkata at Kerala Blasters.
It means that Chennaiyin can go three points clear at the top if they beat fourth-placed Mumbai City on Sunday. And FC Pune City could move just a point behind second-placed Kolkata if they get a victory at FC Goa on Saturday.
Two goals in the first half set third-placed Kerala Blasters on the road to victory in front of 57,000 fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
But Kolkata can count themselves unlucky after a Luis Garcia equaliser in injury time was ruled out by referee Rayshan Iramatov. However, television replays suggested that the ball had crossed the line and the goal should have stood.
Garcia was left out of the starting line-up as Kolkata were outclassed in the opening 45 minutes with Kerala scoring in the fourth and 42nd minutes.
The Blasters took the early lead when a cross from the left from Pedro Gusmao set up an unmarked Iain Hume inside the box and the Scottish-born Canadian international made no mistake.
After Kolkata goalkeeper Subashish Roy came under more pressure, the home side doubled their advantage three minutes before half-time as Gusmao pounced in the box after defender Sandesh Jhingan had sent in a long ball from the right.
In the second half, Garcia replace Spaniard Arnal Carbo and Kolkata's intensity immediately increased.
In the 55th minute, another substitute Kingshuk Debnath threaded the ball into the box where Ethiopian striker Fikru Lemessa slotted home to cut the deficit in half.
Kerala held on for the win, but were fortunate to preserve all three points after the referee's late error denied Kolkata's former Liverpool winger Garcia.
FC Goa are at home to fifth placed FC Pune City on Saturday before Peter Reid's Mumbai City FC, in fourth spot, host top-of-the-table Chennaiyin FC on Sunday in the 39th match of the 56 game ISL regular season.