Clinton D’Souza
Panaji: Kerala Blasters FC will take on East Bengal FC in their second match of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. After losing to Punjab FC in their opening game, the Blasters are looking for their first win at home.
In their previous match, Kerala Blasters fought hard but were edged out by Punjab FC, who secured victory with a goal in stoppage time. Despite the loss, the Blasters displayed strong performance, dominating possession with 57.3% of the ball, achieving a better passing accuracy of 72%, and taking four shots on target compared to Punjab’s three.
Mikael Stahre, the newly appointed coach of Kerala Blasters, has emphasized the need for his team to improve. He stated, “We have to attack with more players, have more passers, be more precise and technical, and, ultimately, more effective. I’m positive, but right now, it’s really painful to handle this defeat. But we will bounce back.”
On the other hand, East Bengal FC also faced a setback in their opening match, losing 1-0 to Bengaluru FC. Under coach Carles Cuadrat, East Bengal utilized young players like PV Vishnu and Aman CK during the second half. Despite their lack of experience, both youngsters impressed by creating chances and attacking spaces.
Cuadrat commented on the team’s approach, saying, “In the game, we tried to use the space with their pace. Aman CK, PV Vishnu, and Nandhakumar were attacking the spaces and creating chances with crosses. Unfortunately, we were not able to score. But I think they will give a lot to the team in the minutes they are going to play.”
Looking ahead to tonight’s match, Cuadrat acknowledged the pressure on Kerala Blasters due to their recent loss. He stated, “It will be a tough match. The pressure will also be on Kerala Blasters FC because of their previous result, so they’ll be competitive. Our aim is to play well, be competitive, and fight back.”
Historically, East Bengal FC has had success against Kerala Blasters, scoring in all seven previous encounters. Meanwhile, Blasters defender Pritam Kotal boasts a perfect record against East Bengal, having won all seven of his matches against them.
