ISL 2021-22: KBFC 1-0 HFC: Vazquez goal helps Kerala end Hyderabad’s unbeaten run to move top of the table

Alvaro
Vazquez
(42nd)
scored
a
first-half
goal
which
eventually
proved
to
be
the
winner
as
Kerala
stretched
their
unbeaten
streak
to
nine
games,
moving
to
the
top
of
the
points
table
with
a
better
goal
difference
than
Mumbai
City
FC,
both
being
on
17
points
from
10
games.
This
was
the
first
time
they
went
top
of
the
ISL
table,
for
the
first
time
since
the
last
seven
years.

Hyderabad,
on
the
other
hand,
saw
their
eight-game
unbeaten
run
come
to
an
end
as
they
dropped
to
the
third
in
the
table
having
16
points
from
10
matches.

ISL
2021-22
Special
Page
|

Points
Table

Hyderabad
had
a
chance
to
take
the
lead
early
on
when
Edu
Garcia’s
free-kick
was
deflected
onto
the
crossbar
by
Prabhsukhan
Gill
after
the
ball
was
curled
expertly
over
the
wall.

Bartholomew
Ogbeche
was
shown
his
fourth
yellow
card
in
the
next
minute,
meaning
he
will
miss
the
next
match.

Kattimani
pulled
off
a
brilliant
save
in
the
24th
minute
to
deny
Jorge
Diaz
as
Kerala
kept
knocking
on
the
door.

As
the
match
progressed,
both
teams
tried
to
carve
open
a
clear-cut
chance
before
Vazquez
helped
the
yellow
shirts
nose
ahead.
A
long
throw-in
was
met
by
Sahal
Abdul
Samad
who
flicked
it
behind
in
the
danger
area
where
Vazquez
struck
a
sweet
volley
to
beat
the
keeper
all
ends
up.

Hyderabad
came
close
through
Ogbeche
on
the
cusp
of
halftime
but
the
Nigerian
shot
wide.
In
the
second
period,
Hyderabad
tried
to
up
the
ante
but
failed
to
muster
any
real
opportunity
in
front
of
goal
barring
one
where
Kerala
skipper
Jessel
Carneiro
kept
his
side
in
the
lead
with
a
goalline
clearance.