Gokulam Kerala FC Stage Sensational Comeback To Win Maiden I-League Title vs TRAU

Gokulam Kerala FC were crowned champions of the I-League in spectacular fashion at the KBK Stadium in Kolkata, on Saturday. (More Football News)

Vincenzo Annese coached side came from a goal down to score four goals in the second half and register a 4-1 win over TRAU. Bidyashagar Singh’s first-half strike did little to stop the

Gokulam juggernaut as strikes by Sharif Mohamed, Emil Benny, Dennis Antwi, and Mohammad Rashid aided Gokulam in their quest for silverware.

With Churchill winning 3-2 against Punjab FC, Gokulam Kerala FC shared points (29) with the Red Machines but were crowned champions courtesy of a better head-to-head record.

A revelation for the I-League much like his team TRAU, Bidyshagar Singh opened the scoring for Nandakumar Singh’s side when he produced a stellar finish from outside of the box in the 23rd minute to hand TRAU the lead.

Gokulam Kerala FC tried to pull a goal back before the break, but half-chances were missed by Philip Adjah and Dennis Antwi with the half-time scoreline reading 1-0 in TRAU’s favor.

Chanso Horam had a golden opportunity to hand TRAU their second of the match in the 50th minute but his chip shot went inches over the bar, following a well-worked classic counter-attacking move. Dennis Antwi failed to find the net in the 62nd minute as his header went agonizingly wide off an Emil Benny cross from the right flank.

Sharif Mohamed’s free-kick in the 69th minute from the edge of the box grabbed the equalizer for Gokulam Kerala FC. The comeback was complete in the 74th minute when Emil Benny tussled past his marker and slotted home through Amrit Gope’s legs to hand Gokulam the lead.

Three minutes later, Dennis Antwi’s powerful shot was parried by Amrit Gope, but the powerful effort lobbed into the TRAU net as Gokulam extended their lead to make the scoreline read 3-1.

Vincy Barreto was sent off in the second-half added time but Gokulam had done enough damage to see the match off with ten bodies. Mohammed Rashid added more gloss to the scoreline with the last kick of the game as the full-time scoreline read 4-1.

The winners of the I-League will get a prize sum of Rs 1 Crore, while the second, third and fourth-placed teams in the table will get a sum of Rs 60Lakh, 40Lakh, and 25lakh, respectively.

Individual awards:

** Highest goal scorer (Rs 2.5 lakh) – Bidyashagar Singh (TRAU)

** Best goalkeeper (Rs 2.5 lakh) – Kiran Limbu (RoundGlass Punjab FC)

** Jarnail Singh Award for best defender (Rs 2.5 lakh) – Hamza Kheir (Churchill Brothers)

** Best midfielder (Rs 2.5 lakh)– Phalguni Singh (TRAU)

** Best emerging player (U-22) (Rs 2.5 lakh) – Emil Benny (Gokulam Kerala FC)

** Syed Abdul Rahim Award for best coach – Nandakumar Singh (TRAU)

** Hero of the league (Rs 5 lakh) – Bidyashagar Singh (TRAU)