ISL Preview: Kerala Blasters aim to solidify playoff standing as East Bengal FC look to gain positives

A
win
will
be
crucial
at
this
juncture
for
the
Blasters
to
be
confident
in
the
playoff
spots,
while
the
Torch
Bearers
are
out
of
contention
for
the
same.

Team
News:
East
Bengal
FC

East
Bengal
FC
are
currently
ninth
on
the
table
and
ten
points
shy
of
the
final
playoff
spot.
Last
week,
the
Torch
Bearers
scored
two
second-half
goals
but
ended
up
losing
4-2
against
FC
Goa.

With
an
eye
on
next
season,
East
Bengal
FC
are
in
search
of
their
second
win
at
home
this
season
in
what
will
be
their
eighth
game
here.

Their
transfer
embargo
was
lifted
last
week,
which
will
allow
the
club
to
bring
new
signing
Jake
Jervis
into
the
starting
XI
after
a
two-week
wait
to
register
him.
Head
coach
Stephen
Constantine
mentioned
last
week
about
the
importance
of
Cleiton
Silva
and
how
the
club
wanted
to
pair
him
up
with
a
good
attacking
partner.
To
fulfill
that
need,
Jervis
will
start.

“We
have
been
identifying
players
since,
I
would
say,
October.
Jake
was
one
of
those
players
that
we
wanted
to
get
in
–
obviously,
we
need
help
up
front.
It’s
taken
a
while
because
of
the
embargo
and
what
have
you,
but
I’m
pleased
that
he’s
going
to
be
playing
tomorrow.
I
think
this
is
the
first
time
I’ll
have
two
foreign
[strikers]
begin
a
game,
which
was
our
objective
from
day
one
and
I’m
pleased
about
that.
And
I
hope
he
has
a
good
game,”
Constantine
said.

Team
News:
Kerala
Blasters

Kerala
Blasters
FC
bounced
back
from
two
losses
in
a
row
with
a
2-0
victory
over
NorthEast
United
FC
last
week.
Dimitrios
Diamantakos
bagged
a
brace
last
week
and
increased
his
goal
tally
of
the
season
to
nine
goals
in
15
games.
The
Greek
striker
is
only
one
behind
the
Hero
ISL’s
top
scorer,
Iker
Guarrrotxena.

Head
coach
Ivan
Vukomanovic
will
be
pleased
to
see
Danish
Farooq
join
the
club
from
rivals
Bengaluru
FC.
However,
the
26-year-old
will
have
to
fight
for
a
starting
XI
spot
with
Rahul
KP,
Sahal
Samad
and
Bryce
Miranda.
Vukomanovic
confirmed
that
injured
defender
Marko
Leskovic
would
be
missing
what
he
considers
a
difficult
game.

“I
think
they
find
themselves
in
a
spot
where
they
don’t
deserve
to
be.
They’re
a
strong
team.
If
you
allow
this
kind
of
team
to
play,
to
explore
their
quality,
you
will
suffer.
That’s
a
fact,”
Vumomanovic
said.

“At
the
end
of
the
season,
where
you
have
to
face
teams
where
everybody
is
saying,
‘you
know
they’re
bottom
of
the
table,
and
it
will
be
easy’
–
it’s
quite
the
opposite.
It
was
the
case
last
game
as
well
against
NorthEast
United
FC.
So
you
must
never
be
casual
in
this
league.
Anybody
can
beat
anybody,”
he
added.

EBFC
vs
KBFC:
Head
to
Head

East
Bengal
FC
have
never
beaten
Kerala
Blasters
in
the
Hero
ISL.
Three
out
of
their
five
encounters
have
ended
in
draws,
while
the
Blasters
have
won
two.
Both
these
Blasters
victories
have
come
in
the
last
two
meetings.

ISL
Media