ISL 2023-24 key fixtures, November 2023: Old foes cross paths in crucial month
November 2023 is expected to be the month when the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 table would start to take shape.
November 2023 is expected to be the month when the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 table would start to take shape.
The frontrunners would look to slowly cement their position at the top while the chasing pack would feel the need to pick up form and close the gap.
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Only 13 fixtures will be played in a month with the league stopping for the international break as India participate in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, there are plenty of classic ISL matches to keep the fans glued for the rest of the month.
Here are some of the key fixtures in November 2023:
East Bengal FC vs Kerala Blasters FC (November 4 2023, Saturday, Kolkata)
Bengal vs Kerala is Indian football’s quintessential rivalry. The two footballing powerhouses of India have always caused fireworks when the teams from their states have clashed and it has been no different in the ISL.
Kerala Blasters FC got the better of East Bengal FC in the season opener last season before East Bengal FC stunned Ivan Vukomanovic’s team in Kolkata. The city of joy hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Kochi-based side who have recorded just two victories there since the league began in 2014.
A much stronger East Bengal FC side won’t make it easier for Kerala Blasters FC to improve the record but the Blasters will look to spring a surprise and turn their record around.
Former Kerala Blasters FC players like Prabsukhan Singh Gill, Harmanjit Khabra, Nishu Kumar and Mohammed Rakip’s presence in the East Bengal FC squad will further add spice to the match.
Chennaiyin FC vs FC Goa (November 5 2023, Sunday, Chennai)
Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa have produced some of the best matches ever played in the Hero ISL. From a thrilling final in 2015 to goal-laden semi-finals over the years, this fixture has symbolised ISL’s entertainment quotient.
After rather disappointing campaigns for the two teams last time out, both Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa are looking strong under new management this year and it promises to be a cracking Sunday clash.
Goa have had the upper hand in this fixture winning 12 of the 23 matches in all competitions with their recent victory coming in the quarter-finals of the Durand Cup.
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Punjab FC vs Hyderabad FC (November 7 2023, Tuesday, New Delhi)
After being on the road for over a month, Punjab FC will return home for just their second home match of the season when they welcome ISL 2021-22 Cup Winners Hyderabad FC to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
Hyderabad FC have been one of the most consistent teams in ISL over the last two seasons and Punjab FC would look to claim a win over them in the league at home amid a large number of away games during the first half of the season.
Games against the top teams can be tough but they also offer a chance for teams to strike a bond with their fans and galvanise the club. Punjab FC would hope the Hyderabad FC fixture will provide them the chance to turn New Delhi into a fortress.
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Kerala Blasters FC vs Chennaiyin FC (November 29 2023, Wednesday, Kochi)
Kerala Blasters FC and Chennaiyin FC don’t see eye to eye and it is reflected in their matches when neither team wants to surrender an inch to their rival.
With six apiece against each other and the remaining eight games ending in draws, there is nothing to choose between the two teams.
A rivalry that kicked off from the epic 2014 semi-final that saw the Blasters edge Chennaiyin FC in extra-time has continued to simmer. Chennaiyin FC’s 6-3 win in Kochi is another milestone moment in this rivalry. However, that win in 2020 remains Chennaiyin FC’s last win at the home of their rivals. Owen Coyle’s men would want to change that record this time around.
NorthEast United FC vs Bengaluru FC (November 26 2023, Sunday, Guwahati)
Bengaluru FC have dominated this fixture winning eight out of the 14 matches between the two teams. Even in Guwahati, the Blues have won on three of their five visits.
However, a revamped NorthEast United FC side that reached the semi-final of the Durand Cup will look to turn the tables on Bengaluru FC.
Home form will be vital for the Highlanders this season and matches like the ones against Bengaluru FC will be key to strengthening their belief that they can take on anyone in Guwahati.