The Malabarians finally secured a long-awaited first home win of this I-League season, as they trounced Inter Kashi 6-2 in the Round 10 clash at the EMS Corporation Stadium on Friday. This was the first time that an Antonio Habas side conceded six goals in a game against an Indian side. Even though the scoreline suggests a one-sided affair, the first half was closely contested and it was Inter Kashi that took the lead first.
Inter Kashi stunned the home crowd with an early strike three minutes into the game when Bryce Miranda made a solo run into the Gokulam box, gliding past the Gokulam defense and slotting the ball into the bottom corner with a left-footed strike. Gokulam’s defenders struggled to match his pace. Miranda, who scored in the previous match as well, has been contributing to the team since he arrived from Kerala Blasters. However, Gokulam responded swiftly. In the 10th minute, Abeledo crossed the ball into the box and the Montenegrin recruit Sinisa Stanisavic rose high to head in a perfect cross, leveling the score. After having an unremarkable last game, Sinisa was determined to get off his bad luck. In the 17th minute, V P Suhair missed a golden opportunity to take the lead but he couldn’t make proper contact with the ball.
The men from Kashi regained their lead in the 27th minute through a free-kick. Julen Perez’s free-kick was set up by another Inter Kashi player in the box for Matija Babovic, a former Malabarian, who nodded the ball into the net. But Gokulam’s resilience came to the fore as Ilamas captured the ball from Julen Perez and initiated an attack. Ilamas crossed to Abeledo who passed to Suhair. Suhair’s pass was finally finished by Stanisavic for his second goal.
Gokulam seized the initiative right before the break. Ignacio Abeledo, the Spaniard, produced a moment of magic with a precise strike from the edge of the box to give the home side their first lead of the match.
Six minutes into the second half, Sergio Ilamas scored from a stunner from a free-kick 10 yards outside the box. Stanisavic completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute with a looping header from a lobbed pass, leaving the Kashi defense in shambles. The final nail in the coffin came in injury time, as Abeledo spotted goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya off his line and unleashed a strike from near the center line to seal the 6-2 victory.
This victory marked a significant moment for Gokulam Kerala, who had struggled at home this season. Known as the “Malabarians,” Gokulam has a storied history, including back-to-back I-League titles in 2021 and 2022. However, they finished third in the past two seasons and their form this season had been inconsistent, making this emphatic win even more special. The result propelled them to fourth place on the table with 16 points from 10 matches.
Inter Kashi, despite the defeat, remains in third place with 17 points from 10 games. The club, which joined the I-League only recently, has shown remarkable promise. Under the tutelage of Habas, they have all the potential to come to the top of the table. For Habas, the day was unforgettable. He is a coach who has secured multiple titles in Indian football at the top level and his team rarely loses to such a margin. Last time his team conceded six goals in a match was in 2021 when ATK Mohun Bagan was drubbed by FC Nasaf.
For Gokulam, the victory was a reminder of their potential and a statement to the rest of the league. Antonio Reuda can now hope that the attack has finally found their rhythm. With this momentum, the Malabarians will be aiming to climb further up the standings and reassert their dominance in Indian football.
