Kerala Blasters FC survived a nail-biting period of extra-time to become the first team to advance to the final of the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League (ISL). The Kochi-based outfit defeated Chennaiyin FC 4-3 on aggregate over their two-legged semifinal.
In a dramatic no-holds-barred southern derby, Chennai prevailed 3-1 in Tuesday night's second leg at home but crashed out of the tournament as David James' men had won 3-0 in Saturday's first leg in Kochi. A valiant Kerala were reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute when their Scottish defender James McAllister received his second yellow card of the night.
Lifted by the 25,317 home crowd at Chennai's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Marco Materazzi's team capitalised fully on the numerical advantage and were on level terms at the full-time whistle. But player-manager Materazzi was also sent off in the 103rd minute after receiving a second yellow card thereby restoring parity in numbers.
Kerala's former Celtic midfielder Stephen Pearson rose to the occasion and stunned the home crowd with his match winner in the 117th minute of extra-time just as it seemed the derby game would head into a penalty shootout.
For Chennai, former France and Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre headed in a Materazzi free-kick in the 42nd minute. The home team were aided by the own goal of Kerala's right-back Sandesh Jhingan in the 76th minute. Promising Indian forward Jeje Lalpekhlua scored the home team's third goal of the evening in the 90th minute which took the game to extra-time.
Chennai -- who emerged top of the eight-team league in the home and away first stage of the tournament -- would look at the result as a lost opportunity. Materazzi missed a penalty early in the second half, an error that eventually proved costly for them.
Italian World Cup winning defender Materazzi was only one of the many global stars who donned the Chennai colours in the second leg. He decided to start in an unusual attacking midfield role. His decision allowed AC Milan legend Alessandro Nesta -- whose injury in Italy's second group game of the 2006 World Cup against Czech Republic enabled Materazzi to get a starting berth for the rest of the tournament -- to man the Chennai central defence along with former Old Trafford star Silvestre.
In the 57th minute, with Chennai still needing two more goals to draw level with the visitors, Nesta was substituted for former Brazil and Manchester City attacking midfielder Elano -- the tournament's top scorer with eight goals.
Materazzi started with an attacking 4-3-3 formation, deploying full-back Bernand Mendy upfront as a winger. Their Haitian striker Jean-Eudes Maurice and Lelpeklua were the other members of the attacking trident. Kerala were content to defend deep and play on the counter-attack.
The visitors had the first real chance when their English forward Michael Chopra's header was cleared off the line by Chennai midfielder Harmanjot Khabra with the Chennai goalkeeper Shilton Paul beaten.
Just a few minutes later, the other end witnessed almost identical action. Kerala's Irish centre-back Colin Falvey came to the rescue of his goalkeeper Sandip Nandy by effecting a goalline clearance off Maurice.
Kerala nearly took the lead through a blistering counter-attack. Their forwards Chopra and Iain Hume broke through with pace and exchanged passes. But Chennai custodian Paul came off his line to avert danger. In the 28th minute, McAllister received his second yellow card of the evening after a foul on Mendy. His first card had come in the eighth minute for time wasting as he made a very early attempt to run down the clock.
With three minutes remaining for half-time, Silvestre rose above Kerala defenders in the box to head in Materazzi's free-kick from the left.
Early in the second half, Chennai were awarded a penalty when Maurice was taken down by Jhingan. Materazzi's first penalty beat Kerala custodian Nandy, standing in for the injured James. However, the Italian was asked to take the spot-kick again because a few of his teammates had encroached into the box. Much to the disbelief of the home crowd, the Italian World Cup winner went wide the second time around.
Chennai continued to pour forward, and brought on marquee man Elano in search of goals. The former Selecao player - who made a return in Saturday's first leg following a brief absence due to injury - started influencing the game with his vision and creativity.
Pressure started telling on Kerala and the visitors gifted Chennai a second goal. Chennai substitute Bruno Pelissari's long ball drifted over all his attacking teammates. Jhingan chested it back to his keeper, only to find that Nandy was out of position having come off the line to collect the ball. It was 2-0 for the evening and Chennai was left with 14 minutes to score a third goal and take the game to extra-time.
Kerala suffered yet another goalkeeping injury to add to James' in the first round matches. Nandy had to be substituted immediately after Chennai's second goal of the evening. The third goalkeeper in the visitors' squad, Luis Baretto, had to make a tournament debut in a high-pressure situation. In the 90th minute, Mendy beat the Kerala full-back with his pace on the left. His cross was turned in at the far post by Lalpekhlua forcing extra-time and turning the home crowd delirious.
However, Materazzi's sending off in the 103rd minute for a second yellow card was just the break the visitors needed. With three minutes remaining for penalties, Pearson latched on to Jhingan's lob in the midfield, powered his way to the box and held off three Chennai players to come up with a superb finish.
Although David James was relieved that his team advanced to Saturday's final, he expressed concern at the growing injury list.
"As an avid football fan, I think any team that wins a trophy has to have an element of luck," the former England custodian told the ISL official website. "But I wouldn't say that only luck played a part in the second leg. Obviously, the early McAllister sending off was lucky for Chennai. But our team fought really hard and I am relieved. However, we have injuries going into the final, and that's going to be a concern."
Kerala will play the winners of the second semifinal between FC Goa and Atletico de Kolkata in Saturday's final in the DY Patil Stadium. The Mumbai arena was also the venue of the inaugural final of India's celebrated T20 cricket league.
Kolkata were held to a goalless draw at home by Goa in Sunday's first leg. James and his men will have one eye on Wednesday night's second leg in Goa as they celebrate their hard-earned semifinal success over their southern neighbours.