Kochi: Back on home turf after a loss in their last away tie, Kerala Blasters FC will look to turn it around when they take on FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here in their first home game of the Indian Super League on Thursday.
The return of Blasters' skipper David James from injury and Goa's Robert Pires from suspension would surely spice up the encounter with both the teams staring down the barrel placed at the bottom of the table with four points in five matches. While Goa rank last in the eight-team standings, Kerala are just one step above them courtesy a better goal difference.
Kerala, a team co-owned by legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, so far had a roller-coaster ride in the Indian Super League. While the team has shown great resilience and looks good in attack, goal scoring has been a major concern for them, having netted just four times in the tournament.
The home team also fared poorly in the attacking stats. They have taken less shots and shots on target (68/34) as compared to Goa 83/45) and have also been lagging behind in terms of crosses (79-84).
Kerala went down fighting against a spirited Mumbai City FC, who won the game thanks to a solitary goal scored by former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka. However, player-manager and former England No. 1 James hailed his side which lost to Mumbai, saying that he was proud of the effort that his squad put in throughout the 90 minutes of the encounter.
"It was a scrappy game, a game decided by one brilliant free kick. We knew that Anelka would be the main threat and we had planned to counter that, but when he puts the ball in the back of the net from a free kick like that, there is hardly anything you can do. The boys worked their socks off and put in a real shift out there. I am proud of them."
He also mentioned that the team is raring to go in Kochi in front of the home fans - an advantage that they would like to capitalise on.
"We have not played a single home game yet. We are so impatient to travel to Kochi and play in front of our fans. I am sure that their support and encouragement shall give us an added edge and hopefully, we can string together some good results which in turn shall push us up the table," James said.
On the other hand, Goa are on a high after pulling off a stunning win against Delhi Dynamos at home. Substitute Tolgay Ozbey scored a sensational winner in added time to help Goa record a thrilling 2-1 win over Delhi, which was their first win in five matches.
The team, coached by legendary Brazilian Zico, would now aim to maintain their winning run here. The visitors will hope that the hero of their previous match, Ozbey, shines again for them. The strong Australian can be a vital threat to the home team's defence.
Another player who Goa will be looking up to is French centre back Youness Bengelloun, who has been a dependable force in defence. Bengelloun could play a major role in keeping a check over Kerala striker Iain Hume.
Whereas the home team will put their hopes on Hume who has been the best for Kerala. The Canadian's ability to move fast and create opportunities has been standout and he will be the home team's best bet in breaching Goa's defence.
Another man in Kerala ranks in Cedric Hengbart, who has been a gem in defence. His awareness is what makes him a potent brick in Kerala's defensive wall.
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