After a slow start to the season – and a heart-stopping semifinal series – Iain Hume and his teammates have fought their way into the inaugural Indian Super League final.
Hume’s Kerala Blasters defeated Chennaiyin FC 4-3 on aggregate, with Hume scoring his fifth goal for Blasters in Saturday’s first leg (a 3-0 win). Chennaiyin overcame that three-goal deficit in Tuesday’s second leg to force extra time, with Stephen Pearson scoring the winner just minutes before a penalty shootout would have been needed.
The grand finale is on Saturday, in which Hume and company will meet the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Goa and Atletico de Kolkata.
- COMMENTARY: No shortage of items on Floro's 2015 wish list
It was also an eventful week for goalkeeper David Monsalve. Following a solid season for AC Oulu in Finland, the former Toronto FC man has signed a deal with America de Cali in Colombia. Monsalve proudly announced the news on social media and, according to a report at The11.ca, the 25-year-old is hoping the move will catch the eye of Canadian national team head coach Benito Floro.
Canada’s current No. 1 goalkeeper, Milan Borjan, found his way back into action for Ludogorets Radgrad after more than two months of inactivity, and he made the most of it. Borjan picked up a clean sheet in a 1-0 league victory over Botev Plovdiv in Bulgaria’s top division – and picked up a yellow card in second-half stoppage time while trying to preserve that victory.
Atiba Hutchinson was inactive for Besiktas in Europa League play due to a red card picked up the previous week, but his teammates were still able to nab a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Hutch returned to his regular place in the midfield on Sunday, helping his squad to a 1-0 league win over Gaziantepspor in Süper Lig action.
Luca Gasparotto, who has entrenched himself at Airdrieonians since joining the club on loan from Rangers, went the full 90 once again in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic in Scottish League 1. His erstwhile teammate, Fraser Aird, went the full 90 on Friday in Rangers’ 2-0 loss to Queen of the South.
Speaking of players on loan in Scotland, Dylan Carreiro continued earning minutes at Arbroath (on loan from Dundee FC), starting in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to East Stirlingshire.
Carreiro’s former teammate at the Toronto FC Academy, Michael Petrasso, also kept racking up experience while on loan. The QPR man came on as a halftime sub for Notts County in league play Saturday, then went the full 90 in a 1-0 loss to Preston North End in the Football League Trophy northern semifinals on Tuesday.
Back with the big club, Junior Hoilett went the distance for QPR in their 3-1 loss to Everton in Premier League play on Monday.
Beyond Hume’s heroics, it was a quiet week for Canadian strikers: Daniel Haber (Ayia Napa), Tosaint Ricketts (Hapoel Haifa) and Randy Edwini-Bonsu (Stuttgarter Kickers) all saw time for their clubs, but none could find the score sheet.
