There are very few matches in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) that can match the intensity and emotions as much as the rivalry between Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC, a fixture that has always produced fireworks.

With both sides backed by passionate and loyal supporters, the battle for bragging rights is not just limited to the pitch, but is also extended to the stands and beyond, making it a spectacle. In the first knockout match of the Hero ISL 2022-23 season, the Blues host Ivan Vukomanovic's side at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Friday for a place in the semi-final.

A high-octane clash coming 🔜 to the Sree Kanteerava Stadium! #HeroISL #LetsFootball #BengaluruFC #KeralaBlasters pic.twitter.com/cHEwOqtg2S

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 1, 2023

Bengaluru FC's stunning comeback

Both teams are coming into the fixture with a contrasting run of results. Simon Grayson's men turned their season on its head with eight straight victories and jumped from ninth to third place. Meanwhile, the Blasters head into this knockout fixture after facing three defeats on the spin.  

Bengaluru FC have displayed a different mindset since the turn of year. Grayson's men are the only unbeaten team in the league and have accumulated the most number of points in 2023. The Blues were also the first team this season to defeat league shield winners Mumbai City FC.

The Blues had a slow start to the season, losing four of their first six matches and their rough patch continued until the end of the year with the goals drying up as Sunil Chettri and Krishna struggled to repeat their heroics the past seasons. In the first 12 matches, the Blues lost eight times and drew once while managing three victories. 

Comparison between first 12 and last 8 league games for Bengaluru FC

First 12	Metrics	Last 8
3	Wins	8
1	Draws	0
8	Losses	0
10	Points	24
8	Goals scored	19
0.67	Goals/Matches	2.38
125	Shots Attempted	118
10.42	Shots Attempted/Match	14.75
91	Chances Created	75
7.58	Chances Created/Matches	9.38
17	Goals Conceded	6
1.42	Goals Conceded/Match	0.75
153	Shots Faced	114
12.75	Shots Faced/Matches	14.25

The rise of Sivasakthi 

Different factors have come into play for Bengaluru FC, but the most important one turns out to be the emergence of the youngstriker Sivasakthi Narayanan. The 21-year-old has six goals in the last eight matches, playing a massive role in Bengaluru FC's unbeaten run in 2023. 

Sivasakthi has led the attacking line alongside Roy Krishna, but it's the youngster who has stole the headlines while receiving praise from fans and experts alike. Bengaluru FC head coach Simon Grayson has constantly highlighted Sivasakthi's importance to the team, stating how the youngster is stepping in when it's needed the most.

The 22-year-old is the joint-top scorer for the Blues in the current season and all of his goals have come in 2023. He has also scored more goals than any other U23 player in the league, showcasing his potential.

                                                   Top Indian goal scorers in Hero ISL 2022-23

Name	Team	Matches	Starts	Minutes	Goals	Goals p90
Lallianzuala Chhangte	MCFC	20	20	1647	10	0.55
Siva Narayanan	BFC	17	12	898	6	0.6
Bipin Singh	MCFC	20	20	1700	6	0.32
Nandhakumar Sekar	OFC	19	19	1574	6	0.34
Ritwik Das	JFC	18	14	1261	6	0.43

A mixed season for the Blasters

The Blasters defeated Grayson's men in the first meeting of the season, emerging winners with a scoreline of 3-2 in Kochi, but Bengaluru FC made amends and secured the three points in the reverse fixture with a solid 1-0 victory.

Kerala Blasters FC have made it to back-to-back playoff finishes for a second straight season in the Hero ISL, a feat the club never achieved before in the Hero ISL history. The season has been a mixed one for Vukomanovic's men as they made history by matching their longest-ever unbeaten streak (eight matches) and then saw the team lose six times in the next eight matches.

No team has suffered more defeats than the Blasters in 2023. Kerala Blasters FC have failed to score in four of their nine games since the turn of the year. Interestingly, during their first 11 matches this season, they failed to score only once. 

     Record of teams in 2023

Name	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	Points
Kerala Blasters FC	9	3	0	6	9
NorthEast United FC	8	0	2	6	2
East Bengal FC	9	2	1	6	7
FC Goa	8	2	2	4	8
Odisha FC	9	3	2	4	11
Jamshedpur FC	9	4	2	3	14
ATK Mohun Bagan	8	3	2	3	11
Chennaiyin FC	9	3	4	2	13
Mumbai City FC	9	6	1	2	19
Hyderabad FC	8	4	2	2	14
Bengaluru FC	8	8	0	0	24

Goals drying up for Diamantakos

Kerala Blasters FC striker Dimitrios Diamantakos has struggled to find goals lately. The forward is the leading goalscorer for the the Blasters with 10 goals in 20 matches this season, while registering three assists to his name. The Greek has seen his goals dry up in the last five matches. He has managed to score only one goal and has had only had one shot on target.

Diamantakos has been the target man for Vukomanovic's side since the beginning of the season, but with the team losing steam during the business end, the forward has seen his form take a dip. Kerala Blasters FC head coach Vukomanovic has voiced out the importance Diamantakos holds for KBFC and how the team looks up to him when it comes to turning half chances into goals. The 29-year-old was on the scoresheet when the arch-rivals met in December. He helped the team with one goal while also providing an assist in the fixture in Kochi.

Diamantakos will be crucial for Kerala Blasters FC's hopes of making the semi-final as he's the major source of goals for the team. The second-highest goalscorer for Kerala Blasters FC this season is Adrian Luna, who is six goals behind Diamantakos.

A knockout fixture that will pit two sides with contrasting forms, including a battle between two lethal forwards in Sivasakthi and Diamantakos, will be the key subplots in Friday's intriguing affair. The knockout stage of the Hero ISL 2022-23 season couldn't have had a better match to kick-off proceedings.