PANJIM: Hyderabad FC qualified for the semifinals for the first time with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters FC in a rip-roaring Indian Super League encounter at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim here on Wednesday.
Bartholomew Ogbeche got Hyderabad in front in the 28th minute with Javier Siverio doubling the margin in the 87th minute to make it 35 points from 18 games and stay firmly in pole position.
Kerala fought hard with Alvaro Vazquez at the heart of their second-half stellar show but in the end, Hyderabad held firm with the defence and Laxmikant Kattimani doing the job for Manolo Marquez’s side.
Vincy Barretto scored a consolation goal for Kerala in stoppage time but it was too little too by then.
It needed a special effort to break the deadlock and Ogbeche — who else — provided the spark to unlock the Kerala rearguard with a deft touch and then a powerful finish to take his tally to a whopping 17 goals this season.
Rohit Danu headed in a pin-point cross inside the box for Ogbeche to control the ball, turn sharply and fire a rocket of a shot past the keeper and into the net.
Khabra then hit the bar from a corner before Alvaro Vazquez showed his class, getting past two defenders with a cheeky back-flick but shooting straight at the keeper.
Finally, after a host of missed efforts at both ends, Hyderabad doubled their lead to seal their semi berth as substitute Siverio headed in a Nikhil Poojary cross with Gill only getting a faint hand to it.
Substitute Barreto scored in the 90th minute, sending a rocket of a strike from outside the box into the top corner to give Kerala fans something to cheer for.
Today’s Fixture: Odisha FC v ATK Mohun Bagan, at Tilak Maidan, Vasco, at 7.30 p.m.
