Kochi: Tens of thousands of eyes were staring at the greenery sparkling with raindrops. Those eyes were not waiting for the players wearing yellow and fighting in the playground of Kalur. That wait was for a magician who would wake up the yellow one sitting by the field in a white robe. Blasters’ all-round coach Ivan Vukomanovic’s arrival on the field, however, was delayed more than usual, so the wait grew longer.
The excitement was overshadowed by disappointment when Aashan was missing despite captain Adrien Luna and his team coming back for a warm-up. Ivan’s re-entry after a 10-match ban was as dramatic as his recall to the Blasters from Bengaluru’s Srikanthirava Stadium in last season’s eliminator clash. Both the teams reached the field but the coach of Blasters did not come. Even as he stood at ‘attention’ for the national anthem, the attention of the gallery was at the Maidan gate. Minutes before kickoff, the man in the white shirt appeared through the yellow gate. After 238 days of ‘wilderness’, Ivan Vukomanovic is on the field of ISL.
As the Serbian coach walked in front of the pavilion bearing the name of Sachin Tendulkar, who is also the former owner of Blasters, chants of ‘Sachin, Sachin’ were heard and the stadium chanted ‘Ivan, Ivan’. Evan ignited the frenzy by raising his right hand and delivering a spontaneous punch. Then, a beckoning reminder to the blasters fans in the bustling eastern gallery – here I am back.
The Nehru Stadium witnessed the tenth start of Blasters excitement in the Super League as huge tifo and mosaics of fans went up in the East Gallery to welcome the return of Ashan. A 6,000 square feet tinfoil was lit up with Aashan’s face, accompanied by two chain-breaking elephants, with the words ‘The King Returns’.
The belief that there is a dear coach who is a support and shade beyond a lime wall in success, defeat, fall and reign was evident on the field. Blasters surged, conquering the center and flanks. But Odisha scored the goal. Led by Mauricio and Jahu, and orchestrated by the strategist Sergio Lobero, Ivan’s comeback was not to be outdone. In the second half, as usual, Ivan’s Blasters showed their best form.
Dimitrios’ first goal, following Ashan’s promise that Dimi would start scoring. Followed by Luna’s magical goal. It was Ashan who left the field to celebrate the goal in front of Priyapatni and led the Blasters players after Luna who reached the VIP gallery. Finally, the famous Viking Clap at Blasters Fort witnessed the Yellow Army. The clap that won the Ushiran fight. Clap led by Aashan. When the captain led the soldiers around the field and returned to the field in a grand manner, this is what he said without saying – now is the game, children!
English Summary:
Ivan Vukomanovich returned to ground
2023-10-28 03:44:44
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