Kerala Blasters seek revenge for their defeat to Odisha FC early in the season as they welcome them at Kochi.
The Tuskers shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC in the Southern derby while Odisha FC played out a goalless stalemate at home against ATK Mohun Bagan.
KBFC vs OFC Match Details
Date: Monday, 26 December 2022
Time: 19:30 (IST)
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
KBFC vs OFC Match Preview
The five-game winning run in the ISL took an unexpected halt for Kerala Blasters as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Chennai. It seemed like business as usual when Sahal Abdul Samad latched onto a through ball by Ivan Kaliuzhnyi to give the Tuskers the lead. However, Vincy Barretto scored within three minutes after the restart to secure a point for Chennaiyin FC. The result itself did not cause any problem for Kerala Blasters in terms of standing as they maintained their fifth place with 19 points on board. Although, the end in the winning momentum forces the team to regather themselves again before the second half of the league kicks in. This was the first draw of the season for Ivan Vukomanovic’s side and both their finishing and defending came into question. Having conceded just once last month, the Tuskers have now let in three goals in as many games this month. While the figures are not enough to cause any uproar just yet but the Serbian will direct his side to not make this a trend. Kerala Blasters have got a chance to not only rekindle their winning formula but also seek revenge in the next game against Odisha FC.
The Juggernauts claimed a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture, falling behind to a Harmanjot Khabra opener in the 35th minute but managing to turn it around through Jerry and super-sub Pedro Martin. Odisha FC require to do a repeat of that performance if they are willing to avoid further lapses in the upcoming games. For the first time this season, Josep Gombau’s team went winless for back-to-back games with a 3-0 crushing loss to FC Goa and a goalless draw against ATK Mohun Bagan in the last match. They slipped to the last playoff spot on the table although a five-point advantage remains over seventh-placed Chennaiyin FC. Against the Kolkata-based club, Odisha FC failed to make the most of 17 shots taken and enjoyed slightly more possession of the ball than the away team. The lack of scoring strikers and the absence of Nandhakumar were felt strongly in the match. Gombau will have at least the winger available to trouble defenses after his suspension with the hope of restoring finishing in the side. A win for either side in their last clash of 2022 will lift them to the third place in the table making it an unmissable battle.
Recent Form
KBFC: DWWWW
OFC: DLWWW
KBFC vs OFC Predicted Lineups
KBFC: Prabhsukhan Gill (GK); Sandeep Singh, Hormipam Ruivah, Marko Leskovic, Nishu Kumar; Praveen, Jeakson Singh, Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, Sahal Abdul Samad; Adrian Luna, Dimitrios Diamantakos
OFC: Amrinder Singh (GK); Narender Gahlot, Omar Malik, Carlos Delgado, Sahil Panwar; Raynier Fernandes, Thoiba Singh, Isaac Vanmalsawma; Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Diego Mauricio, Nandhakumar Sekar
KBFC vs OFC Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Gill (8)
DEF: Hormipam (8), Leskovic (8), Javier (8.5), Panwar (8.5)
MID: Sahal (8.5), Kaliuzhnyi (9), Sekar (9)
FW: Jerry (9), Diamantakos (8.5), Luna (9)
Vice-captain: Ivan Kaliuzhnyi
Captain: Adrian Luna
Stay tuned to Fantasy Football for upcoming matches.
