The Tuskers are aiming to make the move back to the top table with a win over struggling Northeast United. Both of them had to intake salty defeats in their last game causing a dent in each other's prominence.
KBFC vs NEUFC Match Details
When: Friday, February 4th
Time: 19:30 (IST)
Where: Tilak Maidan
KBFC vs NEUFC Match Preview
It has been a hard period for Kerala Blasters to go through after days of isolation and then suffering a narrow 1-0 loss to Bengaluru FC at the end of last month. Reagan Singh's effort in the 56th minute decided the game where Blasters enjoyed possession yet fail to materialize anything out of it. The defeat puts them into fourth place, six points behind table-toppers Hyderabad FC but with two games in hand. Coach Ivan Vukomanovic and several other first-team players who tested positive managed to keep it as solid as possible in these unfortunate circumstances. The Tuskers' relief is to finally kick a ball in a match providing them a sense of building momentum in upcoming games. The good news for the Serbian manager is that he won't have any additional injury issues that come with breakage in playing time to key players. Making these positives pay is the key to reigniting the title charge. KBFC's turn is now to take advantage of the additional matches starting against the league's last boys.
Khalid Jamil carved a disappointing figure after his side Northeast slummed to a 5-0 loss against league leaders Hyderabad FC. Nizam's star forward Bartholomew Ogbeche became the all-time top scorer in ISL history by scoring a brace in the game taking his tally to 13 goals in 14 matches. The Highlanders's center back pairing of Pattrick Flottman and new arrival Zakaria Diallo struggled to contain the ruthless attack from Manolo Marquez's men. Another signing Marco Sahanek also didn't get the service to sign. However, it was obvious that the club was facing a high-level competition from an in-form opponent. So, Jamil was quick to defend the new faces in the team praising their attitude and told them they will only improve from here onwards. Northeast also had problems with Covid forcing game cancellation although they had played more games than Kerala at the moment. Having leaked the most number of goals in the league with a tough fixture calendar ahead, time is running out for Jamil and his boys to improve their standings.
Recent Form
KBFC: LWWDD
NEUFC: LDLLD
KBFC vs NEUFC Team News
Rahul KP is still away from any training sessions with the team as he continues to nurse his groin problem suffered at the very beginning of the picture. There are no other injury concerns to report. The other players have recovered from Covid and are available for selection.
Coach Khalid Jamil gave a possible update on Deshorn Brown, the Jamaican set to be available after missing out on the last four games for Northeast United. There are no new injury problems in the squad with only goalkeeper Mirshad Michu out after sustaining an injury last month.
KBFC vs NEUFC Expected Lineups :
KBFC: Prabhsukhan Gill; Harmanjot Khabra, Hormipam, Marko Leskovic, Nishu Kumar, Sahal Samad, Jeakson Singh, Lalthathanga, Adrian Luna, Jorge Pereyra, Alvaro Vazquez
NEUFC: Subhasis Roy; Provat Lakra, Patrick Flottmann, Zakaria Diallo, Gurjinder Kumar, Pragyan Gogoi, Sehnaj Singh, Suhair VP, Marco Sahanek, Imran Khan, Marcelinho
KBFC vs NEUFC Head to Head :
The last six clashes between the teams have ended in a draw among them three were scoreless. It ended in a stalemate as well in November of last year in a game that Kerala failed to convert any of their chances created in the evening. Coach Ivan Vukomanovic will be desperate to overturn a poor record against the Highlanders as the Tuskers haven't beaten them since a 1-0 win in this month three years back.
KBFC vs NEUFC Dream11 Team Prediction :
GK: Gill (8)
DEF: Khabra (8.5), Hormipam (8.5), Leskovic (9), Lakra (8.5)
MID: Sahal (9), Imran (9), Santana (9), Suhair (10)
FW: Vazquez (9), Luna (8.5)
