Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The wait for the start of Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 ends on Friday as Kerala Blasters FC prepare to go up against ATK Mohun Bagan at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim in this season’s curtain-raiser.
The Blasters have played in more Hero ISL season openers than any other team, while ATK Mohun Bagan will be making their debut in the league. Both teams will be eager to begin their respective campaigns on a positive note and build some momentum for what promises to be a challenging season.
Two-time Hero ISL runners-up Kerala Blasters will be looking to qualify for their first playoff appearance in four seasons with head coach Kibu Vicuna taking charge of the club and they will back themselves to get the better of ATK Mohun Bagan having beaten an Antonio Habas-led side twice last season. Kerala, though, will need to be more solid at the back than they were in Hero ISL 2019-20, and have assembled a strong defence that features the likes of Costa Nhamoinesu and Bakary Kone in the centre-back positions. The Blasters also have exciting fullbacks in former Hero ISL winner Nishu Kumar and Jessel Carneiro, who provided five assists last season.
The Kochi-based club possess a lot of talent in midfield as well. Sergio Cidoncha, who will be competing in his third Hero ISL campaign, will be entrusted with providing the creative thrust from midfield. Argentine attacker Facundo Pereyra is also a player who can create chances from the centre of the park and it will be interesting to see how Vicuna decides to use him. Vicente Gomez is another exciting new signing who will bring a wealth of experience to Kerala’s midfield and look to shield their defence.
ATK Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, will be hoping for a win on their Hero ISL debut under head coach Antonio Lopez Habas and they have a team that’s capable of making that happen. From defence to attack, the Kolkata giants possess both quality and depth. Their centre-back pairing of Tiri and Sandesh Jhingan, who will be playing for the first time ever against his former club Kerala Blasters FC, is as strong as any in the league. And their fullbacks Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose and Prabir Das, who like Kerala’s Carneiro managed five assists last season, aren’t bad either.
Kerala must also be wary of Habas’ ability to change the direction of contests from the bench. His substitutions last season resulted in nine goals with Edu Garcia scoring four of them. Garcia along with Manvir Singh will be two valuable options from the bench for ATK Mohun Bagan since both of them have shown that they can alter the course of a match as substitutes in the past.
Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The wait for the start of Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 ends on Friday as Kerala Blasters FC prepare to go up against ATK Mohun Bagan at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim in this season’s curtain-raiser.
The Blasters have played in more Hero ISL season openers than any other team, while ATK Mohun Bagan will be making their debut in the league. Both teams will be eager to begin their respective campaigns on a positive note and build some momentum for what promises to be a challenging season.
Two-time Hero ISL runners-up Kerala Blasters will be looking to qualify for their first playoff appearance in four seasons with head coach Kibu Vicuna taking charge of the club and they will back themselves to get the better of ATK Mohun Bagan having beaten an Antonio Habas-led side twice last season. Kerala, though, will need to be more solid at the back than they were in Hero ISL 2019-20, and have assembled a strong defence that features the likes of Costa Nhamoinesu and Bakary Kone in the centre-back positions. The Blasters also have exciting fullbacks in former Hero ISL winner Nishu Kumar and Jessel Carneiro, who provided five assists last season.
The Kochi-based club possess a lot of talent in midfield as well. Sergio Cidoncha, who will be competing in his third Hero ISL campaign, will be entrusted with providing the creative thrust from midfield. Argentine attacker Facundo Pereyra is also a player who can create chances from the centre of the park and it will be interesting to see how Vicuna decides to use him. Vicente Gomez is another exciting new signing who will bring a wealth of experience to Kerala’s midfield and look to shield their defence.
ATK Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, will be hoping for a win on their Hero ISL debut under head coach Antonio Lopez Habas and they have a team that’s capable of making that happen. From defence to attack, the Kolkata giants possess both quality and depth. Their centre-back pairing of Tiri and Sandesh Jhingan, who will be playing for the first time ever against his former club Kerala Blasters FC, is as strong as any in the league. And their fullbacks Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose and Prabir Das, who like Kerala’s Carneiro managed five assists last season, aren’t bad either.
Kerala must also be wary of Habas’ ability to change the direction of contests from the bench. His substitutions last season resulted in nine goals with Edu Garcia scoring four of them. Garcia along with Manvir Singh will be two valuable options from the bench for ATK Mohun Bagan since both of them have shown that they can alter the course of a match as substitutes in the past.
Today’s Fixture
Kerala Blasters v ATK Mohun Bagan, at Athletic Stadium, Bambolim, at 7.30 p.m.
