Atletico overcome Blasters with Lara's goal

Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) had Javi Lara's fortuitous goal in the 53rd minute to thank for as they beat Kerala Blasters (KBFC) 1-0 in the second Indian Super League (ISL) match for both teams at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Wednesday. KBFC have now lost four consecutive matches against ATK in the ISL, a sequence that began with a 1-0 defeat in the 2014 final at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

KBFC coach Steve Coppell made six changes in the starting line-up from the team that lost to NorthEast United in the opening game last Saturday, including marquee player Aaron Hughes who is away on international duty for Northern Ireland. ATK coach Jose Molina made two changes, fielding Jewel Raja in midfield and Prabir Das at left-back.

The first chance nearly fell for the visitors as early as the fourth minute, when Iain Hume crossed from the right and Helder Postiga saw his shot blocked by Pratik Chowdhary. Two minutes later, Haitian striker Duckens Nazon worked his way into the ATK penalty box after being played in by Farukh Choudhary, but his shot sailed over the bar.

Molina was forced into a substitution in the 17th minute when Postiga -- who had been fit to last less than one full game in the previous season as ATK's marquee -- appeared to pick up an injury in the ribs and was replaced by Juan Belencoso, and the Spaniard could have opened the scoring with his first touch when he was inches away from a pinpoint pass from Lara, who created space for himself down the left flank.

In the 20th minute, Antonio German used his dribbling skills to work his way into the ATK box, but his shot was blocked by Das, and the rebound fell to Nazon who failed to connect well with the ball. It was ATK who created the next opening in the 26th minute, when Sameehg Doutie was released by Borja Fernandez, and the South African midfielder's shot was saved by Graham Stack. The rebound fell to an onrushing Borja, but his effort was blocked by Cedric Hengbart.

Vipin Pawar/ISL/SPORTZPICS

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It was then KBFC's turn to create a sequence of chances, the first two through German, in the 27th minute when he shot over the bar after a cut back from Nazon, and then the 31st minute when he unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that just went over Debjit Majumder's hands. KBFC created two further openings in the first half, but Rafique failed to find the target after being fed by German in the 33rd minute and Chowdhary failed to meet a Mehtab cross after a KBFC corner had been initially cleared by ATK.

ATK began the second half with a positive move in the 49th minute, with Doutie sending in a well-weighted cross that an unmarked Belencoso rose to meet but failed to head on target. In the 53rd minute, Javi Lara took a shot from distance, which might have been covered by Stack, but it took a deflection off Sandesh Jhingan's thigh that took it into the net.

Soon after the hour mark, Coppell rejigged his attacking line by introducing Kervens Belfort in place of Choudhary, and he took Stack off for Sandip Nandy to maintain the balance of Indians and foreign players. With Nazon struggling in the heat and humidity of Kochi, Coppell replaced him with Michael Chopra in the 73rd minute. By this time, KBFC were throwing everything at their opponents, and had their best chance of the half in the last minute of regulation time, as a Mehtab Hossain corner was headed just wide of goal by Hengbart. A minute later, Belfort went down in the ATK box following a challenge from substitute Lalrindika Ralte, but all he got for his efforts was a yellow card for simulation.

With a minute of injury time left, a free-kick found its way to Jhingan, but his header was tipped away by Majumder for a corner. The corner was also headed away by an ATK defender, but the second corner was cleared to safety. ATK had survived a series of onslaughts on their goal to pick up their first win of the season.