ISL: Kerala Blasters, East Bengal to lock horns in search of first win

The match between Kerala Blasters and East Bengal will kick off at 7:30 PM IST in Kochi.

After going down to Punjab FC, Kerala Blasters FC will now be aiming for a revival and their first home win of the season. On the other hand, the Red and Golds were beaten 1-0 by Bengaluru FC in the opener.

Kerala Blasters FC had given Punjab FC a tough run in the previous game, with the latter only securing the win in the added time of the second half. The Red & Gold Brigade too had kept knocking on the doors of the Blues repeatedly, and they would hope that such efforts yielded the required results in this match.

Cuadrat's teams have scored in all seven games against Kerala Blasters FC in the ISL, netting 15 times in the process. It is their second highest such tally against any opponent in the competition.

Kerala Blasters FC's Pritam Kotal has won all seven of his games against East Bengal FC in the ISL. It is the only team he is yet to lose a game against in the competition. His seven wins against them are his joint second highest against any opponent (NorthEast United FC - P17 W9 D3 L5).

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Kerala Blasters FC head coach Mikael Stahre said that they have to attack more in the upcoming match.

"We have to attack with more players, have more passers, be more precise and technical, and, ultimately, more effective. I'm positive, but right now, it's really painful to handle this defeat. But we will bounce back," Stahre was quoted by ISL as saying.

Meanwhile, East Bengal head coach Carles Cuadrat accepted that it will be a tough match for them against the Kerala-based franchise.

"The last game was a difficult one to start the season, but now we move forward. It will be a tough match tomorrow. The pressure will also be on Kerala Blasters FC (because of their previous result), so they'll be competitive. Our aim is to play well, be competitive, and fight back tomorrow," Cuadrat said.

For the Yellow Army, Jesus Jimenez, who scored in his debut the other night against Punjab FC, will likely play a crucial role in the upcoming match.

Meanwhile, East Bengal will be reliant on Dimitrios Diamantakos for goals, as he won the ISL 2023-24 Golden Boot last season during his stay at the Blasters, with 13 strikes to his name. (ANI)