Stephen Pearson, who was the hero of Kerala Blasters FC's semi-final win after scoring a 117th-minute winner in extra time of the second leg, was on the other side of that emotional roller-coaster after his side succumbed to a stoppage time goal against Atlético de Kolkata in the final of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). It was a game that Kerala dominated, and created plenty of chances to score, only to be thwarted time and again by Kolkata keeper Apoula Edel Bete.Mohammed Rafique’s winner in the fifth minute of time added on broke Kerala hearts, and Pearson was understandably crushed by the result. Asked how he felt about the final in an exclusive post-match interview with indiansuperleague.com, Pearson replied succinctly, “Not very well.”“We played well, but it counts for nothing, because we lost the game,” the former Scottish international midfielder went on to add.The stands at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium were full of Kerala fans, with Mumbai seemingly morphing into Kochi for the final. Pearson thanked the crowd for their support, despite falling short of delivering what supporters would have hoped from their team. “The fans have been superb all the way through,” Pearson stated. “I wish we had won it for them. There was a huge following even today, and it’s just disappointing we couldn’t win.”Despite the disappointment of the result, Pearson was quick to highlight the positives of his overall ISL experience, having become a key player in the Blasters team and a fan favourite. “I’ve loved it, loved every minute of it,” said the 32-year-old. “I’m just very disappointed at this moment in time, but, all in all, it’s been a terrific experience and I certainly enjoyed it here.”
