TG Purushothaman opens on Kerala Blasters' playoff hopes following win over Chennaiyin FC

Kerala Blasters’ are in the eighth spot in ISL table.

TG Purushothaman’s Kerala Blasters displayed a much-needed performance at Marina Arena, defeating the hosts 3-1 to stay in contention for respective playoffs in the ongoing edition of Indian Super League(ISL). It took them no time at all to make a statement, with Jesús Jiménez opening in a mere three minutes.

And with everything at stake in the encounter, the Blasters badly needed three points, and a sense of urgency crept onto the field. Overrun, Chennai could not counter, with high press and relentless attacks, creating havoc. Soon, things took a downturn for them when Wilmar Jordán Gil saw a red in the 37th minute and reduced them to 10 men. Despite Vincy Barretto’s consolation for Chennai towards fag end, it was too little, too late.

Dominating Performance Throughout

The Kerala Blasters enjoyed dominating the game for most parts of the encounter, and enjoyed a lot of scoring opportunities but kept it safe at the back. To add salt to the wounds, The red card further tipped the balance in their favour, making it nearly impossible for Chennaiyin to mount a comeback.

After the game, head coach TG Purushothaman praised his team for executing the game plan effectively:

“All credit goes to the players, they did an excellent job. Whatever we were planning, they implemented it in a great way, and hats off to their performance. We have to maintain it throughout the season, and we are planning for the next match, so hopefully.”

A Crucial Victory in the Playoffs Race

With just five games left in the league stage, this win strengthens Kerala Blaster’s chances of securing a playoff spot. While recent performances have been promising, consistency will be key to achieving a top-six finish.

Following in pace with a demand for a focused state of mind, Purushothaman added, “We started with a positive state of mind, and we will have to maintain it. The boys must not forget that they represent the club, for them, for our fan base. Our family, fan base, and team deserve to celebrate success together. And in order to make it work, we have to win. It won’t be easy but will work on it.”

With just five games left in the league stage, this win strengthens Kerala Blaster’s chances of securing a playoff spot. While recent performances have been promising, consistency will be key to achieving a top-six finish. Although a win holds a lot of value, Purushothaman refused to claim it and credited it to the player’s dedication and teamwork of his boys.

“I’m not proud, I’m proud only of the boys’ performance. They did an excellent job. All credit to my players, our players, and as a team, I’m very happy because as a team, they performed well.”

A Late-Game Controversy

In the final moments of the match, a brief altercation between Noah Sadaoui and Adrián Luna caught a staring contest that generated a lot of buzz but Purushothaman shrugged off that too.

He stated, “That’s quite natural in football, that’s not an issue. Yeah, they are professionals, they know it sometimes happens.”

Looking Forward

With the playoff race intensifying, Kerala Blasters now shift their focus to the upcoming fixtures, knowing that every game is a must-win. If they can maintain the level of performance displayed against Chennaiyin FC, they will be strong contenders for a top-six finish. As the season nears its climax, Blasters fans will be hoping their team can build on this momentum and push for silverware.

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