Preview: Kerala Blasters, Bengaluru battle for semis spot

The upcoming contest has huge stakes on the line.

Indian Super League 2022-23 is at the business end of the season with the league stage now over. Only six teams remain in contention for winning the ISL Trophy. Securing playoffs qualification was a difficult task but navigating through the knockout fixtures will bring forth a tougher challenge. The upcoming game between Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC is one of the two knockout fixtures before the semi-finals. Both teams will clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, 3 March 2023. Since it is an eliminator, the losing team will see their hopes of winning the trophy end and the winners will march on to the semi-final.

Here is what to expect from the exciting clash between the Blues vs the Yellow Army in the ISL 2022-23 knockout fixture:

The Stakes

Bengaluru FC will aim to continue their exceptional winning run by defeating Kerala Blasters FC. The club is on an eight-match winning run and looks unstoppable at the moment. They are huge favourites going into the fixture as they are playing at the home ground but knockout games have a funny way of producing upsets.

Kerala Blasters FC’s aim will be to finally win the ISL Trophy, a feat the club is yet to achieve. Beating BFC will be the first and perhaps the toughest step towards that direction. Ivan Vukomanovic’s men reached the final last season and will hope to replicate that performance and go one step better this time around.

Team News

For Bengaluru, Alan Costa will be flying back from Brazil and would well be in place to make it to the final squad.

For Kerala Blasters only Ivan Kalyuzhni will not be available after earning a suspension. Sandeep is recovering from the surgery.

Probable Lineups

Bengaluru FC (3-5-2)

Gurpreet Sandhu (GK), Sandesh Jhingan, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Roshan Naorem, Prabir Das, Rohit Kumar, Suresh Wangjam, Javi Hernandez, Sunil Chhetri (C), Roy Krishna, Siva Narayanan.

Kerala Blasters FC (4-2-3-1)

Prabhsukhan Gill (GK), Ruivah Hormipam, Jessel Carneiro (C), Marko Leskovic, Nishu Kumar, Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, Danish Farooq, Adrian Luna, Sahal Samad, Rahul KP, Dimitrios Diamantakos.

Head to Head

Total Matches Played - 12

Bengaluru FC wins - 7

Kerala Blasters FC wins - 3

Draws - 2

Player to Watch

Sivasakti Narayanan (Bengaluru FC)

Sivasakti Narayanan is having an incredible season for Bengaluru FC. He is scoring plenty of goals for the club, scoring a brace in the previous game against FC Goa in a 3-1 win. His finishing qualities are shining bright and the striker is playing with confidence.

His hunger for goals is insatiable. With six goals this season, Sivasakti Narayanan is joint top as the club’s leading goalscorer alongside Javi Hernandez going into the knockout fixture against KBFC.

Adrian Luna (Kerala Blasters FC)

Adrian Luna makes everything tick at Kerala Blasters FC. The club relies on the attacking midfielder heavily. His playmaking, distribution, finishing and work rate are immense for Ivan Vukomanovic’s men.

Bengaluru FC has a strong defence but Adrian Luna possesses the ingenuity to find the spaces and plays penetrative through ball for his teammates. Furthermore, if BFC defenders allow him space, then Luna can score from the range too.

Did You Know?

• Kerala Blasters FC has never won the Indian Super League.
• Danish Farooq of KBFC joined the side in the January transfer window from Bengaluru FC.
• Sandesh Jhingan of BFC won the first-ever ISL Emerging Player of the League award in 2014 while playing for Kerala Blasters FC. 

Telecast

The kick-off for Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC is at 7:30 PM. The live telecast will be available on the Star Sports network. Disney+ Hotstar app and JioTV app will live stream the game.