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Moments from the ISL 2016 finalISL / Press release

A stunned silence at the JLN Stadium Kochi. Just so eerie! ATLETICO DE KOLKATA ARE THE ISL 2016 CHAMPIONS.

Lift the trophy for the second time in three years.

History is made!

 -----------PENALTY SHOOTOUT------------

KBFC

P1: Antonio German scores

P2: Kervens Belfort scores 

P3: N'Doye MISSES!

P4: Rafique scores

P5: Cedric Hengbart MISSES. Debjit Majumder saves!

ATK

P1: Iain Hume CANNOT GET PAST Graham Stack. SAVED!

P2: Sameehg Doutie scores high and comfortably

P3: Borja scores beautifully

P4: Javi Lara score powerfully!

P5: Jewel Raja SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

120' Tired legs need rest now. It's all about luck and nerves now.

ENTER THE PENALTIES.

116' Aaaaaaand.......we are heading into penalties. Pretty sure! The match does go the distance.

110' The excitement to score the winning goal has hit the roof at the JLN stadium Kochi now. If there's Belfort and German going the distance for the home side, Sameehg Doutie and Iain Hume are doing the same for ATK.

Okay guys, it's now or never. Let's seal the deal now.

Half time! No real shot on goal as yet. It's the next 15 minutes or penalties. Do or die!

100' Jhingan with a Yellow card in the match now.

95' Substitution: Sereno cannot continue. Nato comes on for ATK. Can he make a difference?

93' Chance! Belfort almost got a chance to score there, but Debjit clears the ball on time.

92' Ishfaq Ahmed gets a YELLOW.

9 pm IST:  Under way for the first half in extra time...

--------------------------------

Nothing to seperate the teams! Enter extra time.

Score after 90 mins -- KER 1-1 ATK

Added time: 5 mins

This one is going to extra time, folks. Unless..........someone comes up with something special.

85' SHOT! Borja Fernandes with an attempt on goal, and it almost looked like it was going in. What a breather for Kerala Blasters!

82' Almost every corner now seems like a heart-stopping moment. We could very well see the all-important goal of the season coming via a set piece yet again. 

76' Shot! Duckens Nazon with a try, but his shot is not on target.

Meanwhile, that was Nazon's last appearance of the evening in the match. He is replaced by Antonio German.

Mohd Rafi, meanwhile, is replaced by Rafique.

74' Approaching the last 15 minutes of the match. From the way it looks now, this match could very well move to extra time. Scores are level still.

70' Mehtab with a challenge on Borja, and the Spaniard is pinned down. No booking though.

66' Postiga! For the first time in the match, his shot on goal is on target. Graham Stack with a good save.

Substitution: Postiga's evening is over. He is replaced by Javi Lara.

64' Nice try! Duckens Nazon tests Debjit with a good shot on goal.

62' A tight midfield battle going on at the moment but make no mistake, both teams doing their best to create goalscoring chances.

KER 1-1 ATK

58' A bleeding Sereno searches for his second shirt and it takes a looooong time to arrive. Finally it does and he is back on the pitch.

53' Awkward fall on the ground for Sereno after a clash of heads. And he sports a bandage to cover up his gash. Battle wounds, not a surprise!

48' Kervens Belfort almost with a moment of magic there. However, his cross in not on target. Lest we forget, WATCH THE MATCH HERE.....

8:05 pm IST: Off we go for the second half of the match. 

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Half time! We have got a cracker at hands, guys. Don't go anywhere. Joining back in 15 minutes.

44' OH WAIT!!!! THE EQUALISER IS HERE!

SERENO HOLDS OFF JHINGAN TO HEAD THE BALL IN OFF A SAMEEHG DOUTIE CORNER. Fireworks already in the match.

KER 1-1 ATK

42' Another sub: Keegan Pereira is replaced by Prabir Das. Too many early injuries in the match already!

40' Kerala Blasters definitely have got that elixir of life from that morale-boosting goal!

37' GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S THAT MAN --- MOHAMMED RAFI. COULD YOU BELIEVE IT!

Could this turn out to be the greatest storyline ever in football? Off a corner from Mehtab, the Indian forward rises the highest and slots the ball in.

KER 1-0 ATK

36' CK Vineeth tries from a distance, but Debjit comfortably catches the ball.

35' JUST AS WE EXPECTED. Unfortunately, Hughes cannot continue and he is replaced by N'Doye. Big blow to the home team!

34' Oh dear! Kerala Blasters marquee player Aaron Hughes is struggling with possibly a thigh injury. Hope that's not too serious.

30' Goalless so far at the JLN Stadium Kochi. The match has not been that great as yet to be honest. But we can only feel that this is the lull before the storm coming in the second half. Hold on guys!

KER 0-0 ATK

26' Didika with a shot now for ATK. The ball is high and away. Nowhere close to the goal.

25' ATK skipper Borja gets a YELLOW for possibly, time wasting. Strange!

22' This is unreal! Postiga again with a poor shot in front of the goal. What's wrong with him? The third time so far in the match.

21' SHOT!  Postiga with a try again, and still, the ball isn't on target.

19' YET AGAIN! The home side get a free kick outside the edge of the box. This is close enough!

Belfort takes it and NO! the ball is high and wide.

16' Sameehg Doutie attracts a save from Graham Stack. That was the first shot on target from ATK so far.

14' Chance! Hume and Postiga combine, but the latter's final shot just so out of target. How could he do that?

12' Daang! The ATK defence is in all sorts of pressure already. The likes of Tiri and Sereno have got a massive task there.

10' Not a good sight as Mohammed Rafi is down after a crunching challenge.

8' END TO END ACTION! Kerala Blasters with a good breakaway via Kervens Belfort but CK Vineeth's final touch not too impressive. Meanwhile, Iain Hume with the counter attack with ATK in the other end. Nothing comes of it however.

5' The home side enjoying early possession. ATK still haven't settled in as yet.

3' Kerala Blasters win a free kick right at the edge of the box. Early opportunity.

Mehtab takes it, and the ball travels beyond the wall and the goal post.

1' Borja is the ATK captain tonight, while Aaron Hughes is the Kerala Blasters captain.

ICYMI: Full lineups here...

KERALA BLASTERS XI: Stack; Jhingan, Hengbart, Hughes (C), Ishfaq; Mahamat, Mehtab; Vineeth, Belfort, Rafi; Duckens Nazon.

ATLETICO DE KOLKATA XI: Debjit; Pritam, Tiri, Sereno, Keegan; Borja (C), Jewel; Sameehg, Postiga, Dika; Hume.

7:03 pm IST: THE ISL FINAL 2016 IS OFFICIALLY UNDER WAY!

TICK-TOCK TICK-TOCK! The timer has begun. Anytime now.

6:55 pm IST: The players are out in the Yellow Sea! The JLN Stadium Kochi we mean. The trophy is out as well! So are Tendulkar, Ganguly, Praful Patel and Nita Ambani.

LIVE ACTION HERE.

6:50 pm IST: LOOK! THE LEGENDS OF CRICKET ARE HERE...

6:45 pm IST: Let's listen into what the coaches have said ahead of the match.

Jose Molina, ATK coach: "I expect a big atmosphere and Kerala have improved a lot since our first match this season, with the players coming from Bengaluru FC making a big difference and I hope the final will be a good game.

"I am absolutely happy to be here and play in front of 60,000 thousand fans and of course I would prefer to play in Salt Lake with fans cheering for ATK but the most important is what happens inside the field and it is eleven against eleven, and who plays better will win.

"It will be a tough battle and both teams are strong and when the match starts we will see who plays well and any player can change the course of the game anytime."

Steve Coppell, KBFC coach: "It will be a comfortable atmosphere for us as it is our home ground and the crowd gives us huge support but the crowd doesn't play and whoever wins has got to earn the trophy by playing well and being committed and the crowd is a great background for us to play against but it is not going to give us goals and stop goals from going in.

"It is more pleasant for us and I am glad we are at home but it means nothing in terms of two teams playing against each other.

"Once you are on the field it doesn't really matter what happens outside and I hope the final is going to be about who is going to be the best team on the evening and I hope it is good football and the kind of football that everyone wants to see. I think both teams would like to attack and we will enjoy the occasion and the crowd will make sure of that, and the support will be fabulous to see. It will not be an advantage or disadvantage but just background."

6:40 pm IST: Countdown 2 kickoff is here. Let's here in your predictions, people. Comment us below or you can tweet your thoughts to me @san_footy!

We are getting to hear that JLN Stadium Kochi is SOLD OUT for the match. Why not, we ask?

6:30 pm IST: 30 minutes remain, folks. I hope you got your couch and popcorn and cokes ready. If you still haven't do it now!

TA-DA! WATCH THE MATCH HERE.....

6:20 pm IST: Alright guys, I'm just finishing off my live coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup final and joining you guys yet again in a bit for the countdown 2 kickoff.

6:10 pm IST: How about some more pictures from the JLN Stadium Kochi?

6 pm IST: THE MOMENT WE WERE WAITING FOR. THE LINEUPS ARE HERE!

KERALA BLASTERS XI: Stack; Jhingan, Hengbart, Hughes (C), Ishfaq; Mahamat, Mehtab; Vineeth, Belfort, Rafi; Duckens Nazon.

ATLETICO DE KOLKATA XI: Debjit; Pritam, Tiri, Sereno, Keegan; Borja (C), Jewel; Sameehg, Postiga, Dika; Hume.

Pretty much the same lineup we predicted, but Sandip Nandy not in it.

5:55 pm IST: Here are some of our special stories building to the huge final. Do give a read:

The star players we are definitely missing in the match...

All you need to know about the ISL 2016 final...

5:45 pm IST: We will be bringing the lineups across you in a bit. But until then, enjoy these velfies from the players!

5:40 pm IST: Before anything, let's get you some footages straight from the JLN Stadium Kochi. The match kicks off at 7 pm IST.

5:30 pm IST: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is the main event of Sunday evening. Presenting LIVE from the JLN Stadium Kochi.....IT'S TIIIIIMEEEE! 90 minutes of the ISL 2016 final is almost upon us. Presenting Kerala Blasters and Atletico de Kolkata in a repeat of the ISL 2014 final.

Okay, enough of Bruce Buffer (UFC) impersonation, let's get the message straight. If you miss this match, well, you're missing one of the best three-four hours of Sunday. I'm sure nobody will, just to keep things optimistic!

Join me, Sayantan, YES! I'm back again! for all the live updates from the match as usual. This is the final, so get your stuffs -- pop corns, cokes, footballs -- ready already. We're going LIVE!