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A winless Kerala Blasters FC host a stuttering NorthEast United FC in Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Friday. The Blasters are the first team this season to concede five goals in a match after their 5-2 chastening at the hands of FC Goa last time around. The Blasters are yet to secure a victory this campaign, and will bank on their vociferous home support to bag all three points against NorthEast. In a major boost, winger CK Vineeth will make a return after serving out his red-card suspension. However, Dimitar Berbatov may miss the tie after the injury he picked up in Kerala’s last match. The Highlanders have not fared much better themselves, and although they do have a win this season, they come off the back of a 1-0 setback against Bengaluru FC. Their only victory so far has come away (2-0 against Delhi Dynamos FC), and that should give them some confidence when visiting one of the most hostile environments in the country.
HEAD TO HEAD
Kerala Blasters FC 3–2 NorthEast United FC, 1 draw
KEY PLAYERS
Jackichand Singh (Kerala Blasters FC)
The nimble-footed winger has quickly become an integral part of Kerala’s squad. He initiates plenty of attacks and also has a knack of picking out accurate passes. He showed much of his class against the Gaurs where he managed a goal and an assist, though in a losing cause. Jackichand will thus want to kick on after a fine start to the campaign personally and help his side get some positive results.
Danilo Lopes (NorthEast United FC)
The Brazilian was kept quiet for most of the encounter against the Blues, but to be fair the midfield did not help him much. The 26-year-old is quick, and is always ready to pounce at the slightest opportunity. He gets a fair few shots away every game, and has already etched his name into the history books by scoring the league’s 500th goal, a feat he achieved in his team’s victory over the Lions.
POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUPS
Kerala Blasters FC
Rene Meulensteen may use his preferred 4-5-1 formation, packing the midfield with options.
Goalkeeper: Paul Rachubka
Defenders: Laruatthara, Nemanja Lakic-Pesic, Sandesh Jhingan, Rino Anto
Midfielders: CK Vineeth, Arata Izumi, Iain Hume, Courage Pekuson, Jackichand Singh
Forward: Mark Sifneos
Blasters’ head coach on performing under pressure: “Every manager is under pressure of delivering results; the only problem is you can only control what you can control, which is training, selection and the tactics. You cannot control the variables that have an effect on the performances and the results. If the results have been bad and the performances have been bad, then it is a problem.”
NorthEast United FC
Joao de Deus will probably line his players up in the flexible 4-2-3-1 formation, using the midfield and wings to good effect.
Goalkeeper: TP Rehenesh
Defenders: Robert Lalthlamuana, Jose Goncalves, Sambinha, Nirmal Chettri
Midfielders: Halicharan Narzary, Rowllin Borges, Adilson Goiano, Marcinho, Lalrindika Ralte
Forwards: Danilo Lopes
NorthEast’s head coach on his thoughts regarding the encounter: “I have good feelings for the next game. It’s not because NorthEast have never beaten Kerala (in Kochi) that I will change my feelings. That was in the past. That has nothing to do with what is going to happen tomorrow. I’m confident that tomorrow we’re going to do good and have a good match.”
KEY STATS:
• Barring this season, Kerala and NorthEast have always played their first match of the season against each other.
• Last season, the second encounter between these two teams decided who grabbed the last semi-final berth. Riding on Vineeth’s winner, the Blasters got the job done in Kochi.
• Siam Hanghal and Milan Singh are the only players to have represented both these teams. The duo represents the Blasters now.
• The Highlanders have never beaten the Blasters in Kochi
LAST ENCOUNTER:
– Kerala Blasters FC 1–0 NorthEast United FC (4th December 2016 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi)
