ISL 2023-24: Kerala Blasters aim to build momentum against Jamshedpur FC

The clubs enter the upcoming fixture with contrasting moods.

Kerala Blasters and Jamshedpur FC will lock horns in the Indian Super League 2023-24 on Sunday, 1 October 2023 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Both clubs will be looking to secure three points as they aim to find rhythm after the opening games of the season.

The Yellow Army secured an opening day 2-1 win over Bengaluru FC to give their fans reasons to rejoice. As for the Men of Steel, they played a goalless draw with East Bengal FC which saw promise and determination from their players. 

Historically, clashes between KBFC and JFC have been hard to predict but one constant is the entertainment that their matches provide. With high stakes on the line, here is a look at what to expect from the game:

Stakes

Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters will be looking to secure their second successive win in the ISL 2023-24 after an impressive win over BFC. Playing at home will certainly play as a huge advantage but there will be pressure to deliver which can catch the strongest teams off-guard. Considering the performance from the opening fixture, anything less than three points will be a massive disappointment. 

Jamshedpur FC

Jamshedpur FC find themselves on the road again after playing East Bengal FC away for their opening ISL 2023-24 fixture. The Men of Steel showed incredible determination to secure a point against a spirited Red & Gold Brigade. Playing in a hostile environment will certainly challenge the JFC squad but they will back themselves to come away with at least a point from the fixture.

Injury & Team News

Petar Sliskovic is out for the season for Jamshedpur FC. Also, Ritwik Das won't feature for Jamshedpur in this clash. Kerala Blasters will have a full roster to choose from (apart from those who were part of India's Asian Games squad).

Head-to-head

Total Matches Played - 14

KBFC wins - 4

JFC wins - 3

Draws - 7

Predicted Line-ups

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

Sachin Suresh (GK), Prabir Das, Milos Drincic, Pritam Kotal, Aiban Dohling, Jeakson Singh, Danish Farooq, Mohammed Aimen, Daisuke Sakai, Adrian Luna, Kwame Peprah

Jamshedpur FC (3-4-2-1):

TP Rehenesh (GK), Pratik Chaudhari, Elsinho, Laldinpuia, Emil Benny, Pronay Halder, Jeremy Manzorro, Imran Khan, Nongdamba Naorem, Alen Stevanovic, Daniel Chima Chukwu

Players to Watch

Adrian Luna (Kerala Blasters)

Adrian Luna is the driving force behind Kerala Blasters. The midfielder scored against Bengaluru FC after pouncing on an error by the goalkeeper to give his team a two-goal lead. Apart from his goal, the skipper was crucial in retaining possession and combined well with the attackers.

His vision and creative output make him a dangerous operator. Jamshedpur FC must do everything they can to contain Adrian Luna’s influence in the upcoming game.

Elsinho (Jamshedpur FC)

Elsinho was simply outstanding in his ISL debut for Jamshedpur FC. The centre-back was a rock in defence for the Men of Steel who cancelled out everything EBFC had to throw at them. He made 11 clearances during the game which is the till date the second-most for a JFC player in a single match.

Stopping Kerala Blasters from scoring will be an essential part of Jamshedpur's strategy if they are to come away with any points from the match. Elsinho, assumingly, will play a huge role in that.

Did You Know?

• Kerala Blasters won the previous contest between the sides by a 3-1 score.
• Jamshedpur FC has won once in the last five games against Kerala Blasters.
• Jamshedpur FC’s Rei Tachikawa of Japan has experience of playing club football in Portugal and Malta.

Telecast

The kick-off for Kerala Blasters FC vs Jamshedpur FC is at 8:00 PM IST. The match will be played at the JLN Stadium, Kochi. The live broadcast and live streaming of the game will be available on the Sports18 Network (Sports18 1 Channel/VH1 Channel) and JioCinema app, respectively.