ISL: Kerala Blasters, ATK play out goalless draw

Add as a preferred source on Google

Kochi, November 17: The first match of the fourth Indian Super League (ISL) season between Kerala Blasters and Amar Tomar Kolkata (ATK) ended in a goalless draw here on Friday (November 17).

The match kicked off at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Kaloor, Kochi, with fanfare.

The match between Blasters and ATK lived up to the billing for much of the first half that ended goalless. Blasters' CK Vineeth was fans' player of the match.

Though both the teams failed to score, there was no dearth of excitement in the first session.

Both Kerala and Kolkata created chances but the Blasters looked more threatening with their sharp moves.

There were big names in the ranks of both Kerala and Kolkata but they failed to break the deadlock.

But in the second half, ATK enjoyed more possession and came near scoring the winner. But the fate of the match remained a goalless draw.

"The most important thing for us is that we kept the clean sheet, that we didn't concede the goal. I hope we'll be better in the next games," said Blasters' player Lakic Pesic, hero of the match.

Head coach of ATK Teddy Sheringham said his team deserved a win on the night.
"If it was a boxing match, I think we would've won on points," he said.

"I thought we deserved more. I thought we took the game to Kerala. I thought we were the better team, we had the better chances," he said.