Kerala Blasters rout NorthEast United 4-1

A superlative performance, in which they scored twice in two halves, buoyed Kerala Blasters to their first away victory in a 4-1 rout over home side NorthEast United FC in an Indian Super League (ISL) contest here on Sunday.

English striker Chris Dagnall put the visitors ahead in the very first minute. Cavin Lobo made it 2-0 on 20 minutes. Antonio German netted the third in the 75th and Dagnall rounded off the scoreline a minute later at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.

Argentine forward Nicolas Velez struck a consolation goal late in the added time.

The win lifted bottom-placed Blasters a spot to the seventh with 11 points from 10 matches. NorthEast maintained their fifth place with 13 points from similar number of games.

Blasters got a dream start when they scored from the opening attack of the match on 29 seconds through Dagnall.

German created the opportunity with a commanding run from the left flank and squared the ball for the onrushing Dagnall to tap in.

The goal stunned the home team into action. They showed some intent building up a series of passes to get back into the game.

But the Blasters were not intent to taking things lying around and doubled their lead in the 21st minute.

Cavin Lobo slipped past the Blasters backline, who tried to catch him offside, only to get their positioning wrong allowing the Indian international to calmly finish.

The second goal knocked the stuffing out of NorthEast, who failed to muster any meaningful attack after it.

Blasters went into the break content with the two-goal ascendancy and continued to pack the punches when play resumed forcing NorthEast goalkeeper T.P. Rehenesh into making a couple of saves.

They needed some spark in their attack and a penalty could have served the purpose. But a strong shout was turned down by the referee in the 55th.

Portuguese marquee player Simao Sabrosa tumbled in the box under a challenge from Rahul Bheke after chesting a ball.

The home crowd expected a decision in their favour but the referee waved for the play to continue much to their disappointment.

Their frustration turned to despair when their team conceded twice within a minute.

German got the ball on the right side of the box and curled his left footer around Rehenesh to make it 3-0.

Dagnall then heightened NorthEast's by making a solo diagonal run across the face of the goal before directing his left footer into Rehenesh's left corner.

Velez's consolation goal via a stinging left footed shot was too little too late.