Third-placed Atlético de Kolkata play host to fourth-placed Kerala Blasters in match 51 of Hero Indian Super League 2016 at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday. Both teams head into the game on the back of crucial wins in their previous fixtures. While Kolkata edged past FC Goa 2-1 to take their points tally to 18 points, Kerala saw out FC Pune City by an identical score-line to also put up a total of 18 points on board. Both teams have played 12 games, making it a neck-to-neck contest come this Tuesday. A win or a draw guarantees a semis berth for the hosts, however, even a win may not be enough to secure a place in the final four for Kerala due to an inferior head-to-head record. Kolkata will also be looking to make home advantage count and maintain their record of being one of the two teams besides Delhi Dynamos FC to have lost the least number of matches (2). Hence, the onus is on the 2014 champions to take the game to the Blasters. Kerala, on their part, have won three of their last four matches and, after their crucial victory over Pune, they will want to keep their momentum going.Head to head: The inaugural season of Hero ISL saw the teams play out a 1-1 draw in Kolkata before the Blasters pipped ATK 2-1 in their own den. The two teams met again in the final of the league, which Kolkata won 1-0 to become champions. Hero ISL 2015 witnessed Kolkata do the double over Kerala with them winning 2-1 at home and 3-2 away. Earlier this season, ATK edged past the Blasters 1-0 in Kochi thanks to a Javi Lara goal.Form Guide (last five matches)Atletico de Kolkata: L-D-D-D-WKerala Blasters: L-W-W-L-WRobert Lalthlamuana vs Duckens NazonAtletico de Kolkata’s left-back Robert Lalthlamuana has slowly grown into a key figure in defence. Strong and pacey, the 28-year-old does not allow much room for opposition attackers. He is tough to outfox as well as outpace and is known for making crucial tackles and clearances. He will look to thwart a sharp Kerala attack when they come face to face on Tuesday.Kerala’s Haitian forward Duckens Nazon may just have scored once in nine appearances so far but the pacey attacker is slowly coming into his own for the Blasters. The 22-year-old played a major role in Kerala’s victory over Pune. Besides scoring the opener, he also created a host of other opportunities and kept Pune’s defence on their toes constantly. He has raw pace and can finish calmly, making him a dangerous customer to handle. He will hope to continue his fine form against Kolkata.Javi Lara vs Azrack MahamatJavi Lara has undoubtedly been one of Kolkata’s best players on the field. He pulls the strings from the midfield with key passes and is also a big threat going forward. Almost all of Kolkata’s attacks centers around him. He already has three goals to his credit and has the highest number of shots (25) as well as shots on target (18) for his team, making him an indispensable player. If he continues his fine form in this match, Kerala will have a lot to worry about.Azrack Mahamat has been a strong presence in the middle of the park for the Blasters. He is not only deft at breaking down opponent attacks but is also a threat going forward. The 28-year-old has a high work rate and has become one of the first names on the team sheet for Steve Coppell this season. He is a tough player to come up against and will be hoping to see a lot of the ball when they visit Kolkata.Juan Belencoso vs Cedric HengbartSpanish striker Juan Belencoso has been showing what he is capable of lately, having scored the opener for ATK against Goa. With two goals and an assist to his name, he is one player who will have a lot to say in deciding the outcome of this fixture. Good in the air, and a dangerous target from set-pieces, the 35-year-old Spaniard is likely to give Kerala’s defence a lot of headache.Cedric Hengbart has been a pillar at the back for the Blasters. He makes important tackles and interceptions and wins more than his fair share of aerial battles. The Frenchman is also a key target from set-pieces and has scored and assisted once this year. He will have to be on his toes while dealing with a dangerous Kolkata frontline.SquadsAtlético de Kolkata: Debjit Majumder, Dani Mallo, Shilton Paul, Arnab Mondal, Henrique Fonseca Sereno, Jose Arroyo, Keegan Pereira, Kinshuk Debnath, Prabir Das, Pritam Kotal, Robert Lalthamuana, Abinash Ruidas, Bidyananda Singh, Bikash Jairu, Bikramjit Singh, Borja Fernandez, Javi Lara, Jewel Raja, Lalrindika Ralte, Ofentse Nato, Sameehg Doutie, Stephen Pearson, Helder Postiga, Ian Hume, Juan Belencoso / Kerala Blasters FC: Graham Stack, Sandip Nandy, Kunal Sawant, Aaron Hughes, Cedric Hengbart, Sandesh Jhingan, Gurwinder Singh, Pratik Chaudhary, Elhadji Ndoye, Josu Currais, Didier Boris Kadio, Azrack Mahamat, Mehtab Hossain, Mohammed Rafique, Ishfaq Ahmed, Vinit Rai, Michael Chopra, Antonio German, Kervens Belfort, Duckens Nazon, Mohammed Rafi, Thongkhosiem Haokip, Farukh Chaudhary, CK Vineeth and Rino Anto/
