Hyderabad FC win maiden ISL Trophy; beat Kerala Blasters on penalty shoot-out
Margao, Mar 20: Goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani made three stunning saves as Hyderabad FC clinched their maiden Indian Super League title after defeating Kerala Blasters in penalty shoot-out in the summit clash here on Sunday.
Hyderabad beat Kerala 3-1 in the shoot-out after the match ended 1-1 in the regulation and extra time.
For Hyderabad, Joao Victor, Khassa Camara and Halicharan Narzary scored while only Ayush Adhikari found the target in the shoot-out as Kerala suffered heart-break for the third time in the finals.
It was Kattimani's day as his heroics helped Kerala prevailed in the shoot-out. He saved the spot kicks from Mark Leskovic, Nishu Kumar and Jeakson Singh.
As soon as Narzary's spot kick sent Kerala goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill the wrong way, the Hyderabad dug out and supporters at the stands erupted with joy while it was heartbreak for the passionate Kerala fans as spectators returned to the stadium to watch an ISL match after two years.
Earlier in the match, 22-year-old Rahul KP's goal in the 68th minute put Kerala ahead, but Sahil Tavora equalised for Sahil Tavora with a stunning volley in the 88th minute.
There was not much to differentiate between the two teams till Rahul broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with a stunning right-footed shot from outside the box.
Rahul came charging towards the goal and struck a blinder of a shot, to which rival custodian Kattimani only got a hand before hitting the net.
Kerala must have thought they would lift their maiden ISL title but Tavora broke their hearts as he struck with a breath-taking right-footed volley from the edge of the box with just two minutes left for the final whistle.
The two sides failed to produce a winner in the extra-time as the game went to penalty shoot-out.
Hyderabad midfielder Souvik Chakrabarti had a shot early in the match but Kerala goalie Prabhsukhan Singh Gill was upto the task to deal with it.
In the 14th minute, Harmanjot Khabra whipped a cross for striker Jorge Diaz, who was free inside the box, but the Argentine could not connect it.
In the 23rd minute, Lalthathanga Khawlhring got the ball on the left-flank, skipped past Chakrabarti and passed it to Alvaro Vazquez, but the Hyderabad defenders did it well to not let the ball sneak behind the backline.
Kerala skipper Luna attempted a dipping shot from outside the box in the 30th minute but rival custodian Laximikanth Kattimani collected it with ease.
Hyderabad had a chance to score when Javier Sivero, who replaced Joel Chianese, headed on target from a free-kick, but Gill made a wonderful save before Thounaojam Jeakson cleared the ball for the corner even as both the sides were locked 0-0 at half-time.
After the change of ends, Hyderabad started on the front foot and had a couple of chances in quick succession.
A ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ goal from @sahiltavora8 sent @HydFCOfficial flying back into the game in the 88th minute ๐ฅ๐ฅถ#HFCKBFC #HeroISLFinal #FinalForTheFans #HeroISL #LetsFootball #SahilTavora #HyderabadFC pic.twitter.com/2fOBGoeqfn
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 20, 2022
ษดแดสแด แด๊ฑ แด๊ฐ ๊ฑแดแดแดส ๐
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 20, 2022
Re-live the penalty shootout as Kattimani was the hero to help @HydFCOfficial win their maiden #HeroISL ๐#HFCKBFC #HeroISLFinal #FinalForTheFans #LetsFootball #HyderabadFC pic.twitter.com/DwVflPfxYy
๐๐ป๐๐๐ซ๐ผ๐ช๐ฉ๐ฎ @HydFCOfficial lift the #HeroISL 2021-22 trophy! ๐ฅ๐#HFCKBFC #HeroISLFinal #FinalForTheFans #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/30yQfXQFly
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 20, 2022
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
