Gokulam’s blistering start to the game made it tough to tell who really the home side were, Sreenidi unable to dictate play and constantly wary of the visitors’ pace. Within the first ten minutes, Nili Perdomo had put the visitors in front. The Spaniard picked up a loose ball at the top of the box, danced past Gurmukh Singh and Eli Sabia and slotted it into the far corner, past an outstretched helpless Albino Gomes. The move had started and been finished at pace, something that Gokulam kept up through the half.

The half-time statistics were incriminating. Sreenidi had held more possession but had zero shots on target to show for it. Gokulam, by contrast, thrived on the counter, winning the ball within their half only to blow past the orange jerseys in a blur of hands and feet. The second goal, created via two accurate passes was tapped in by Alex Sanchez, in the 39th minute. All the hard work came from Sreekuttan VS and Perdomo, the former’s through ball releasing the latter into space on the right of the box to cut a perfect ball for Sanchez to tap in.