ISL 2023-24: Kerala Blasters eye pole position against Hyderabad FC

There has never been a draw between Kerala Blasters and Hyderabad FC in the ISL.

With the latest international break ending, Indian football fans can sit back and enjoy club football again. The Indian Super League (ISL 2023-24) is back in action as the club teams resume their campaigns after a short break. Kerala Blasters host Hyderabad FC in the upcoming ISL contest which is set to take place at the JLN Stadium in Kochi on 25 November 2023.

Both teams famously met in the final of the 2021-22 ISL playoffs which saw the Nizams record an impressive win after a nail-biting penalty shootout. Judging by that game and the subsequent clashes between the outfits, one can expect an exhilarating game on Saturday. 

Here is what to look out for as Kerala Blasters prepare to host Hyderabad FC in the ISL 2023-24:

The Stakes

Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters fans still have bad memories from the 2021-22 final when they nearly had their hands on the ISL Trophy. The players will hope to deliver a win to give the fans a reason to enjoy and feel redemption. In terms of the league table, the Yellow Army is sitting second, tied on points with FC Goa, the league leaders. Winning the game will give KBFC a morale boost and the top rank in the standings for the time being.

Hyderabad FC

Hyderabad FC are not having an enjoyable start to the 2023-24 season of the Indian Super League. The outfit is without a win in their opening six games. Thanks to three defeats and three draws, the Nizams are sitting in 11th place, second from bottom. Needless to say, every game from this point is a must-win for HFC.

Team News

Dimitris Diamantakos will be unavailable for selection after picking up a red card in the previous outing for KBFC. Hyderabad FC have a full roster to choose from.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches Played – 9

Kerala Blasters FC wins – 4

Hyderabad FC wins – 5

Draws – 0

Predicted Lineups

Kerala Blasters FC (4-4-2)

Sachin Suresh (GK), Sandeep Singh, Pritam Kotal, Hormipam Ruivah, Naocha Singh, Daisuke Sakai, Vibin Mohanan, Danish Farooq, Adrian Luna, Ishan Pandita, Kwame Peprah

Hyderabad FC (4-2-3-1)

Gurmeet Singh (GK), Nikhil Poojary, Chinglensana Singh, Oswaldo Alanis, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy, Joao Victor, Hitesh Sharma, Abdul Rabeeh, Mohd Yasir, Joe Knowles, Felipe Amorim

Player to Watch

Adrian Luna (Kerala Blasters)

There are plenty of dangerous attacking players in Kerala Blasters’ lineup but the most threatening is Adrian Luna by a distance. The attacking midfielder is the orchestrator and a crucial figure for the Yellow Army in the final third. His industry without the ball and incessant pressing puts opposition players in trouble and leads to promising opportunities for his teammates. He has three goals and two assists in six matches already.

Nikhil Poojary (Hyderabad FC)

Hyderabad FC have several hard-working players but nobody does it better than Nikhil Poojary. The full-back has played all six matches in the league and deserves more recognition for his performances. He recently represented India in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. His role in defence and attack makes him a crucial player in the squad. A lot of HFC fans will hope that Poojary, an ISL winner with the club, can inspire the squad to record their first win.

Did You Know?

• In all of their previous league meetings, KBFC have scored 12 while HFC have scored 11 goals against each other.
• There has never been a draw between KBFC and HFC in the ISL.
• Oswaldo Alanis of HFC signed for Spanish club Getafe but never featured for them in an official match.

Telecast

The match between Kerala Blasters FC and Hyderabad FC will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on 25 November 2023. The kick-off is at 8:00 PM. It will be live-streamed on the JioCinema app and broadcast on the Sports18 network (Sports18 1/VH1 channel). Users from abroad can use OneFootball to watch the game.

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