Kerala Blasters FC will host NorthEast United FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi to cap off the double header on October 21, Saturday. The Blasters have had two victories along with a loss in their three games until now. The Highlanders have bagged four points on the back of a win, defeat, and a draw each. A possible goal-fest is on the cards given that the two teams have shown some impressive attacking prowess so far this season.

What’s at stake?

Kerala Blasters FC

Kerala has fared well courtesy of Adrian Luna, with the Uruguayan starring in their triumphs in the opening couple of fixtures. They gave the Islanders a good run for their money at the Mumbai Football Arena (MFA) and will start this match on the frontfoot riding on the support of their home crowd.

NorthEast United FC

NorthEast United FC drew their previous game against Punjab FC but they have shown greater promise and potential under the tutelage of Juan Pedro Benali in this campaign. The key is to not surrender that momentum after the international break and instead capitalise on that in this difficult away match.

Key Players

Danish Farooq (Kerala Blasters FC)

The 27-year-old player scored against Mumbai City FC and has shown a tendency to get into goal-scoring positions by playing from an advanced midfield position. Whether he pounces upon those chances more consistently will be keenly watched in the coming games.

Parthib Gogoi (NorthEast United FC)

Parthib Gogoi has been the star of the season for the Highlanders, scoring in all three of their matches. The attacker has signed a contract extension with the club and he will be striving to sustain the positive form he developed before the international break.

Head-to-Head

Played – 18

Kerala Blasters FC – 8

NorthEast United FC – 4

Draws – 6

Team Talk

“They are not a bad team. I saw the last three games, they have played good games. They have good wingers. They have good foreign players in each line. Midfielders aren’t bad either. They showed good attacks with the help of good wingers against Mumbai. I think their team is much better than last year, we know that, and we must be ready for that,” Kerala Blasters FC assistant coach Frank Dauwen spoke about the Highlanders.

“We know Kerala Blasters is a big team. A team that plays good football, if you see the last three games, they deserved better in the last game against Mumbai. It’s a strong team. Even if they have some players injured, others will come in and it will still be strong. It will be a tough game. It will be a very nice, beautiful game, with nice crowd support and it will be a nice evening of football,” NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali mentioned in the pre-match press conference.

Read More:

• I See A Very Bright Future For The Club: Northeast United Fc Owner John Abraham
• This Club Feels Like Home: Parthib Gogoi On Extending Contract With Northeast United Fc

Where to Watch

Viacom18 is the new home of Indian football and the match between Kerala Blasters FC and NorthEast United FC will kick off at 8 PM on October 21, 2023. Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), DD Bangla & Colors Bangla Cinema (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

ISL Fantasy

 Top Picks & Players to Watch Out

Adrian Luna (10.5 cr)

Scored twice in three appearances in ISL 2023-24

Sachin Suresh (4.2 cr)

Recorded a 75% save percentage this season

Parthib Gogoi (6 cr)

Three goals in three matches in this campaign

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