Football
ISL 2021-22: 5 Things to Expect from Kerala Blasters vs Jamshedpur FC clash
Kerala Blasters to face ISL League Shield champions Jamshedpur FC
ISL 2021-22: 5 Things to Expect from Kerala Blasters vs Jamshedpur FC clash
Kerala Blasters will be hosting Jamshedpur FC at Tilak Maidan for the second leg of the first semifinal. Blasters are leading the aggregate score with a 1-0 scoreline. KBFC will be hoping to maintain the lead till the next 90 mins to reach their 3rd Indian Super League final. Whereas, Owen Coyle's boys are expected to give their best shot to try to reach their first-ever final.
The first leg encounter was an equally poised fight and nothing less than that is expected in the second leg itself. Kerala Blasters will start the match with a one-goal advantage however that means nothing given the competitive nature and fighting abilities of Jamshedpur FC this season. Let's have a look at the top 5 things to expect from this high-intensity encounter.
High intensity and physical game
It is quite expected that the audience will witness a high-intensity game with a lot of physical duels. Midfield duels and wing-based attacks will be the main highlights of the match. Jamshedpur FC will give their best shot to level the scoreline and find a winner whereas, on the other hand, Kerala Blasters will do anything to maintain their narrow lead. The first leg had a possession division of 52% - 48% for Jamshedpur FC and Kerala Blasters FC respectively which shows how equally poised this encounter is. The same added with more intensity and physicality is expected from the second leg where both the teams will face a do or die situation.
Stewart – Chima pairing
Both Stewart and Chima have been among the brightest stars of this Indian Super League edition. Stewart has been one of the best recruits in the league and has incredible numbers to his name (10 goals, 10 assists in 20 games). Chima after signing for the red miners has found his form back, notably after pairing with Stewart. The Nigerian now has 9 goals and 1 assist after a bad start of the season with SC East Bengal. However, both the JFC pillars were silent in the previous leg. The red miners could only manage one shot on target even though having most of the ball. This particular pairing is very necessary for Jamshedpur FC if they are to make a comeback against the Yellow army.
Ritwik Das can be decisive
Ritwik Das has attracted a lot of attention in the later stage of the league. The 25-year-old left-winger has shown a lot of promise down the wings. Due to his consistent performance, Ritwik is now a core player in the starting lineup. He has quick and good dribbling abilities along with a good sense of the game. The Bengali winger scored the decisive goal for Jamshedpur FC against ATK Mohun Bagan to hand his team their first-ever ISL shield. Jamshedpur FC depends a lot on the wings and Ritwik again has the opportunity to shine for his team.
Leskovic and Hormipam pairing at the back
Hormipam is among the youngsters who have made a name for themselves at this edition of the Indian Super League. The 21-year-old centre-back from Manipur has shown great composure and anticipation skills in the 12 matches he has played this season. The youngster has made 27 interceptions and 60 clearances and is yet to receive a card. His pairing with experienced Croatian defender Marco Leskovic has improved the Kerala defense by a fine margin. Leskovic has accumulated a total of 33 interceptions and 87 clearances in the 19 games he played this season. The defense pairing performed well in the previous leg and will be very vital if Kerala Blasters goes to the finals.
Sahal Abdul Samad, the protagonist of the first leg
Sahal Abdul Samad has rejuvenated his footballing career this season. He has been in fine form and most importantly has maintained it. Sahal scored the only goal of the previous game to separate both the teams before the second leg. He has scored a total of 6 goals and also has 1 assist to his name this season. He will be very critical in the midfield for the Blasters as the game is expected to be very physical. Sahal's ability to pass defense splitting balls will come in handy during counterattacks to feed Vazquez, Luna, and Diaz if KBFC has to increase their lead.
