Kerala Blasters FC missed a golden opportunity to push for a semifinal spot when were held to a goalless draw at home by NorthEast United FC on Thursday night in the Indian Super League (ISL).
The Kochi-based outfit, backed by 43,299 supporters at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, had their hearts set on claiming all three points. A win would have taken Kerala to fourth place in the standings. The one point from the draw helped them to tie with fourth-placed FC Pune, who have a game in hand.
Kerala have 16 points from 13 matches and need to win their last game when the two deadlocked teams go head to head on Dec. 9 in Kochi in what is potentially a fourth-place deciding encounter. Pune, though, could edge ahead of their southern rivals before the face-off should they not lose at home to Delhi Dynamos FC on Saturday. At the end of the home and away fixtures, the top four teams will qualify for the semifinals.
Kerala enjoyed possession during most of the first half. Their Canadian striker Iain Hume posed a lot of questions for the Highlanders' centre-backs. Hume received good support from strike partner Milagres Gonsalves and midfielder Penn Orji as the trio engaged in some quick and crisp passing. The former Canadian international even had an early goal ruled off-side.
The visitors came up with a couple of attacking moves as the game progressed. In the closing minutes of the half, Felipe de Castro's long-range effort was saved by Kerala custodian Sandip Nandy. Nandy was starting in place of player manager David James who placed himself on the bench because of a mild groin injury.
However, Kerala regained control during the second half. Backed by a vociferous home crowd, they pushed forward searching for the elusive goal only for poor finishing to let them down. Kerala's former Celtic midfielder and Scottish international Stephen Pearson blasted a volley over from just a couple of yards out with the Highlanders' goalkeeper TP Rehenesh at his mercy. India international centre-back Nirmal Chhetri also came close to giving the home team the lead when his powerful header from a corner hit the woodwork.
Kerala enjoyed a numerical advantage from the 75th minute but were unable to score the elusive goal which would have given them three points. Highlanders' English forward James Keene was sent off when he pushed Kerala's substitute striker Michael Chopra, who, ironically is Keene's countryman. Keene was angrily reacting to a bad challenge by Chopra.
Chopra missed a couple of good chances to put his team ahead. In the closing minutes, a low powerful shot by another of Kerala's substitute strikers, Australian Andrew Barisic, was saved by a diving Rehenesh.
NorthEast United, who are seventh in the standing with 14 points from 13 matches, need to beat Mumbai City FC at home on Dec. 10 in their last match to have any realistic chances of clinching a semifinal berth. The Highlanders' destiny would still not be in their hands as they would need other results to go their way.