Robinho shines as Bashundhara Kings beat Gokulam Kerala

For over 14 months, Gokulam Kerala FC (GKFC) were unconquered. And then in May, they lost thrice.

The first time that happened, to Sreenidi FC, GKFC managed to live that down and, in front of a raucous home crowd rooting for Mohammedan Sporting, win the I-League. All those who thought that would take a lot out of this team comprising mostly first-timers from the Malabar region had another think coming when GKFC stunned ATK Mohun Bagan. But seven games in 21 days in two competitions did take its toll and after losing 0-1 to Maziya, they ended the season with a 1-2 defeat to Bashundhara Kings in the AFC Cup. 

Actually, scratch that. GKFC lost to the magic of a player called Robinho. In size, this Brazilian is way bigger than this more illustrious namesake but his skill set would do such a nickname no harm. He is from Sao Caetano whose football team came from the Brazilian second division to be the runners-up in Brazil and then South America in the early aughts. Before group D began, Robinho, replying to a reporter’s question whether ISL has helped India, first said he had no idea about football in the sub-continent. He followed that up saying he is happy in Bangladesh. Given his performance on Tuesday that gave ATK Mohun Bagan reason to look forward to their match in the evening and eliminated Maziya, it won’t surprise if ISL clubs court him. 

Robinho, whose name is Robson da Silva, had been trying from the off to test Rakshit Dagar with long-rangers. Kings attacked GKFC’s right side where Sreekuttan VS was struggling to cope with Robinho’s trickery leaving right back Rishad Pazhaya with too much to do. In the 26th minute, he came close, slaloming past three before firing a shot which Dagar managed to keep out for a corner-kick. In the 36th, he found the mark. 

Robinho went past Sreekuttan and as Rishad left his position to try and close him down, found space to bang home at the near post. Kings ended the first half looking the better team barring a fifth minute blemish when they were caught on the break but Jithin MS, having done everything right including beating a defender, couldn’t keep his shot on target. 

Whatever hopes GKFC may have had of salvaging their campaign was doused when Robinho, under pressure, found Gabonese Nuha Marong with a delivery between central defenders Alex Saji and the dependable Bouba Aminou. All it needed was direction and Marong, who had scored in Kings’ 1-0 win against Maziya, provided that with a neat header. 

GKFC pulled one back through Jourdain Fletcher in the 75th and the Jamaican thudded into the horizontal in the 90th from nearly 30 yards out.

“That No.10 (Robinho) made all the difference. He has so much quality. They played to him and waited for him to cut in and shoot,” said Vinceno Alberto Annese, the GKFC coach. The Italian said he was proud of the team which created an I-League record of staying unbeaten for 21 games, scored the most goals and conceded the least on way to retaining the title, and how they dealt with their debut in Asia which ended with two one-goal losses after a 4-2 win. 

At the end of it all, a number of players on both sides collapsed on the pitch, possibly because both knew their journey in the competition could have come to an end. Like last year, GKFC will lose a number of players to ISL and I-League clubs, said Annese. Asked if he would be around to rebuild again, Annese said he would talk to the club president first but was open to looking for a new challenge.