Scottish midfielder, Stephen Pearson was an ecstatic man as his goal sealed his side’s passage to the first final of the Hero Indian Super League. Locked in a tense battle for 180 minutes, both Kerala Blasters FC and Chennaiyin FC had it all to do in order to reach the finals. Kerala had taken what looked like an unassailable 3-0 lead in the first leg of the semi-finals at home and it looked like they would make the finals with ease. Chennaiyin, however, had other ideas as they pulled it back dramatically in 90 minutes of football in front of their own fans, winning 3-0 to send the tie into extra time. In extra time, both teams went for the kill, but it was the experienced Scotsman who broke the deadlock.

With penalties looming, Pearson scored the winning goal, cutting in and slotting home a precise left-footed finish into the bottom corner. The goal, coming with less than three minutes left on the clock, stunned the Chennayin players, as well as the home crowd, and sent the Blasters through to the final of the first edition of the Hero Indian Super League.