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After 11 weeks of close to nonstop football action, the 2016 Indian Super League will witness its final game when local side Kerala Blasters host former champions Atletico de Kolkata in a rematch of the 2014 ISL-1 final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi tomorrow night.
The Blasters and their fans are hoping that they can turn things around after having lost the ATK in Mumbai on December 21, 2014 with now Blasters winger Mohammed Rafique heading in a late injury time winner.
Both teams have had a mixed season with the Blasters having had a disastrous start and then picking up six wins at home in a row, including the semifinal against Delhi Dynamos; while Atletico de Kolkata has played nine draws amongst their 16 matches so far.
But both teams in the end were deserving winners of the semifinals, ATK having to play out a goalless draw at Mumbai City, while the Kerala Blasters needed a penalty shootout to over the Delhi Dynamos to make the final at home.
The pressure surely is much higher on the Blasters with not their own expectations but those of the whole of Kerala in lifting the cup weighing on them.
Home side head coach Steve Coppell said, “It will be a comfortable atmosphere for us as it is our home ground and the crowd gives us huge support but the crowd doesn’t play and whoever wins tomorrow has got to earn the trophy by playing well and being committed and the crowd is a great background for us to play against but it is not going to give us goals and stop goals from going in. It is more pleasant for us and I am glad we are at home but it means nothing in terms of two teams playing against each other,” the Englishman told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
Coppell added, “Once you are on the field it doesn’t really matter what happens outside and I hope tomorrow is going to be about who is going to be the best team on the evening and I hope it is good football and the kind of football that everyone wants to see. I think both teams would like to attack and we will enjoy the occasion and the crowd will make sure of that, and the support will be fabulous to see. It will not be an advantage or disadvantage but just background.”
Meanwhile Atletico de Kolkata head coach Jose Molina said, “It has been a great experience and the results were not so great in the beginning but we were [mostly] in the top four and the owners, management and players have done a great job and we have shown a great spirit.”
ATK’s marquee man Helder Postiga, who has been crucial to his team’s fortunes with two goals and three assists this season, made no bones about the fact that he was eyeing his first trophy with ATK. “The ISL has been good and I enjoy so much here and hope to make some good memories by lifting the trophy tomorrow. The first year (ISL-2) was not so good because of the injury but I tomorrow I hope to lift the trophy,” the former Portugal international said.
