Sahal scored within the thirty eighth minute to offer Kerala the lead and it may have been 2-0 for the yellow shirts if Adrian Luna’s knuckleball free kick hadn’t been fired into the woodwork.
Kerala’s protection was additionally rock stable, withstanding the preliminary risk from Jamshedpur with Marko Leskovic within the lead.
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League Protect winners Jamshedpur seemed uncomfortable with Daniel Chima Chukwu keeping off two golden possibilities within the first half and Greg Stewart additionally lacking his ordinary trickery within the remaining third.
The return match, Thursday March 15, will likely be decisive however Kerala will enter the draw with a bonus.
Jamshedpur began on the entrance foot and Chima squandered a golden likelihood to attract first blood from shut vary after Pronay Halder headed in a TP Rehenesh free-kick from deep inside his personal half just for the in-form Nigerian shoots a large volley.
Chima was given one other likelihood to atone for his mistake, this time Halder once more managed to win the ball from Puitea and set the Nigerian up, however the seasoned striker fired large after beating his marker.
In the meantime, Seiminlen Doungel was heartbroken as he acquired injured and had to get replaced by birthday boy Mobashir Rahman.
Mobashir was within the thick of the motion virtually instantly, discovering the close to submit from a Stewart free-kick that was simply large of the coaching floor, foiling the Kerala shirts with a cheeky layoff for a Mobashir no scored passes from the precise flank however he determined to strive his luck himself, in useless in the long run.
For Kerala, Leskovic was on the high of his recreation holding the protection tight and likewise making essential interceptions as Jamshedpur continued to assault with venom earlier than Kerala scored towards the run of play.
Alvaro Vazquez as soon as once more highlighted his class and silky ability to first spot Sahal operating after which play him a scrumptious ball excessive which Ricky Lallawmawma tried to clear however as a substitute allowed Sahal to get well extra simply the ball and dink it on an advancing Rehenesh.
The second half acquired off to a sluggish begin earlier than Adrian Luna’s free-kick went outdoors the submit after TP Rehenesh was given a glove only a minute earlier than the hour mark.
On the different finish, Ritwik Das – who scored the successful objective towards ATK Mohun Bagan to assist his facet win the League Protect – despatched an effort over the bar after Stewart and substitute Jordan Murray acquired on effectively mixed within the remaining third.
With three minutes left on the clock, Ishan Pandita falsified an effort from shut quarters.
Supply: ISL Media
