AIZAWL FC 1 (Samuel Lalmuanpuia 17’)
lost to
Gokulam Kerala FC 2 (Sinisa Stanisavic 49’, Thabiso Nelson Brown 90+5’)
AIFF Media Team
AIZAWL: Gokulam Kerala FC staged a brilliant comeback before scoring an injury time winner to condemn Aizawl to a sixth game without a win in the I-League 2024-25 with a 2-1 victory at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
The visitors scored two goals in the second half through substitutes Sinisa Stanisavic (49’) and Thabiso Nelson Brown (90+5’) after Aizawl FC took the lead in the first half when Samuel Lalmuanpuia struck from a free-kick in the 17th minute.
The result means Aizawl remain mired deep in the relegation zone, three points adrift of their nearest rivals as they have so far collected just 11 matches from 16 outings. Gokulam Kerala, meanwhile, climbed to fourth on the table (25 points from 16 matches).
As has been their wont, Aizawl were the ones quick off the blocks, and immediately put Gokulam under pressure with their speedy wing play. In the 17th minute Lalbiakdika was fouled just outside the box, to give Aizawl a first shot at goal. The ball was in a favourable position and yet, Samuel Lalmuanpuia had a lot to do to drive it above the wall and into the far corner. A flailing Shibinraj Kunniyil could do nothing to stop it ballooning the net.
Aizawl’s dominant play had caught Gokulam unaware and they were constantly harangued out of possession and left with scraps for the duration of the first half. Within five minutes of the restart though they were level, thanks in part to a substitute’s inspired brilliance.
Sinisa Stanisavic was brought on at half time and the Montenegro footballer grasped the first opportunity he got. Martin Chaves’ lobbed cross from the right fell to the forward near the penalty spot, albeit slightly behind his position. He improvised to smash a scissor kick into the top corner of Aizawl’s goal.
The hosts were stunned but did not let it deter them. Chances though were few and far between with both sides able to only muster shots from long range. In the 82nd minute, Aizawl had the best chance to win the game, but Lalmuanpuia’s shot bounced off the upright. It would come to bite them right at the end, when they poured forward in numbers to get the winner.
Gokulam set off on a blistering counter-attack in injury time, Ignacio de Loyola’s low cross from the left delivered to perfection to Thabiso Brown running into the centre of the box. Aizawl’s defence floundered and the Lesotho born striker smashed it in first time. Gokulam had taken a last gasp win. Aizawl’s heartbreaking season got worse.
