Gokulam Kerala, Aizawl FC Share Points In Relegation Battle

Gokulam Kerala fought to a 2-2 draw against Aizawl FC in a critical I-League match, impacting both teams' standings in the relegation battle.

Gokulam Kerala FC showed resilience twice coming from behind to hold Aizawl FC to a 2-2 draw in a Relegation Stage clash of the Star Cement Indian Football League at the Deccan Arena on Tuesday.

Aizawl FC Secure Safety, Gokulam Still At Risk

The result confirmed Aizawl’s survival, taking them to 13 points from 11 matches. Gokulam, meanwhile, remain in the relegation zone with nine points, setting up a must-win final fixture against Namdhari FC. The draw also ensured safety for Real Kashmir FC.

The contest burst into life early, with both sides trading attacks in a frantic opening spell. Aizawl struck first in the 10th minute through Zomuansanga, who cleverly deceived goalkeeper Shibinraj Kunniyil with a shoulder dummy before finishing emphatically into the far corner for his fifth goal of the season.

Scrappy Affair

Gokulam responded swiftly. In the 17th minute, Mirjalol Kasimov produced a moment of brilliance, curling in a thunderous free-kick to restore parity.

The game soon turned scrappy, but Aizawl retained their composure and regained the lead in the 32nd minute. A foul by Lalbiakhlua inside the box resulted in a penalty, and Zomuansanga made no mistake from the spot to complete his brace and put his side 2-1 ahead.

Gokulam, however, refused to back down. Just before halftime, they struck again from a set-piece. In the 43rd minute, Gursimrat Singh rose to meet a free-kick and looped a header over the goalkeeper, who was caught off guard, to level the scores at 2-2.

The first half ended on a challenging note for Gokulam, who were forced into multiple changes, including the injury-enforced substitution of goalkeeper Shibinraj, replaced by Kamaludheen A.K. Despite the setbacks, they went into the break with momentum after clawing their way back.

The tempo dipped after the restart, with both sides struggling to create clear openings in the early stages of the second half. Aizawl gradually took control, dominating possession and pushing forward in search of a winner.

Gokulam Goalie Kamaludheen To The Rescue

However, substitute goalkeeper Kamaludheen proved decisive, pulling off crucial saves to deny Aizawl. Gokulam nearly snatched all three points against the run of play in the 86th minute when Benjamin Thomas Kuku set up Thabiso Brown for a one-on-one chance, but the forward’s ambitious back-volley failed to hit the target.

After nine tense minutes of stoppage time, the referee signalled the end of a hard-fought encounter, with the 2-2 scoreline a fair reflection of the contest.

Statistically, the match was evenly balanced. Both teams committed 10 fouls and received two yellow cards each. Aizawl enjoyed 60 per cent possession, registering 13 shots and seven corners, while Gokulam were more efficient, creating eight chances and matching their opponents with six shots on target from just 10 attempts.