The final clash of the Indian Super League’s seventh matchday saw two winless sides go head-to-head, as 9th-placed Kerala Blasters took on bottom-club SC East Bengal. Both managers, Kibu Vicuña and Robbie Fowler were looking for their first taste of Indian victory and needed to turn things around quickly following such disappointing starts. An intriguing clash was set to ensue, and here’s what we made of it:

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East Bengal started off well and came close to opening the scoring in the 9th minute when Haobam Tomba Singh let fly from outside the box with his weaker left foot, but it was well kept out by Albino Gomes. Two minutes later, Costa Nhamoinesu got on the end of a corner as Debjit Majumdar rushed out to no avail, but his header just skimmed off the top of the crossbar. East Bengal opened the scoring in the 14th minute, as Jacques Maghoma slipped Mohammed Rafique in behind on the right, and he squared it across the face of goal. Anthony Pilkington was waiting on the other side, but Bakary Koné turned it in himself.

Rafique alwaayyyssss makes the difference on 20th Dec