Kozhikode: Gokulam Kerala FC, winless in 12 games and over three and a half months, carved out an odd goal in the victory over Manipuri side Neroca FC at the EMS Corporation stadium in Kozhikode on Sunday.
Second half goals from Ghanaian Daniel Addo and Trinidadian Marcus Joseph secured three points for the home side after Nigerian Felix Chidi had scored his seventh of the 12th Hero I-League, to give Neroca a lead in the first half.
The win takes the Gokulam Kerala side to the ninth place on the points table. They are just above Minerva Punjab FC, thanks to a better head-to-head record. More importantly, this steers them clear of the relegation zone, as bottom-placed Shillong. However, Gokulam kerala have a better head-to-head record with Lajong, and thus cannot mathematically finish in the drop zone.
Neroca coach Manuel Fraile made as many as four changes to his starting XI before the game, while his Gokulam counterpart Gift Raikhan made two from their previous defeat against Aizawl. The game began at a slow pace. Daniel Addo had a toe-poke in the 11th minute, however Gokulam held their nerves till last to emmerge victorious.(AIFF)
