Semi-Final 1, Second Leg – Kerala Blasters vs Jamshedpur: Preview and Prediction
Kerala Blasters will take on Jamshedpur in the second leg of ‘Semi-Final 1’ of the 2021-22 Indian Super League season at the Tilak Maidan Stadium on Tuesday. Kerala Blasters will be aiming to confirm what will be their third appearance in an ISL final, whereas Jamshedpur is eyeing their maiden ticket to the final.
Kerala Blasters finished fourth in the league phase, having accumulated 34 points from 20 matches. However, when the stakes were at their highest in the first leg of the semi-final, the Tuskers came up trumps to secure a 1-0 triumph.
On the other hand, Jamshedpur won the ISL League Winners’ Shield after finishing first in the league phase, where they secured 43 points from 20 matches. The primary target of the Red Miners will be to score the first goal of the match.
Current Form
The Kerala Blasters camp will be fairly confident coming into this match as they are unbeaten in their last four outings. Before winning the first leg of the semi-final, Ivan Vukomanovic’s men drew 4-4 against Goa.
Before clashing against the Gaurs, the Tuskers two consecutive victorious. They won 3-1 against Mumbai City to effectively seal their semi-final place and also handed Chennaiyin a 3-0 drubbing.
Jamshedpur might have been taken aback by the defeat in the last match, as they arrived in the semis on the back of seven consecutive wins. Owen Coyle’s team won 1-0 against ATK Mohun Bagan before taking on the Tuskers.
Prior to the clash against the Mariners, the Red Miners secured two back-to-back comprehensive victories, scoring eight goals in the process. They won 5-1 against Odisha and 3-0 against Hyderabad.
Head to Head Record
Jamshedpur holds the upper hand in terms of head-to-head records, but only by a very narrow margin. They have won three of the eleven matches against Kerala Blasters, whilst the Tuskers have emerged victorious on a couple of occasions. As many as six matches have ended in stalemates.
One such stalemate was played out in the first meeting of this season, where both teams settled for a 1-1 draw. Coyle’s team ran riots in the return leg and won 3-0, but Vukomanovic’s men turned up at the important moment to bag a 1-0 triumph in the first leg of the semi-final.
Team News
Jordan Murray could feature in the Jamshedpur starting XI
Vukomanovic could field the same starting XI that won 1-0 last time out, but it will not be surprising to see one change. Ayush Adhikari might not make the cut for this match after a subpar display in the first leg.
He did not create a single change and had only 35 touches of the ball. Adhikari was replaced by Jeakson Singh and the 20-year-old midfielder is expected to feature from the start in this match.
Coyle could make a couple of changes to his starting XI, one of which might be a forced change. Seimenlen Doungel sustained an injury in the last match and might not recover in time for this game.
If Doungel fails to clear the fitness test, Ishan Pandita could be deployed in his place. Besides that, Daniel Chima Chukwu could also get the axe after missing a plethora of chances in the last match, with Jordan Murray being the perfect alternative.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Kerala Blasters (4-4-2): Prabhsukhan Gill; Harmanjot Khabra, Ruivah Hormipam, Marko Leskovic, Saneej Stalin; Sahal Abdul Samad, Puitea, Jeakson Singh, Adrian Luna; Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Alvaro Vazquez.
Jamshedpur (4-2-3-1): TP Rehenesh; PC Laldinpuia, Eli Sabia, Peter Hartley, Ricky Lallawmawma; Jitendra Singh, Pronay Halder; Ishan Pandita, Greg Stewart, Ritwik Das; Jordan Murray.
Prediction
Jamshedpur has had a better overall season, but given that some of their crucial players are nursing injuries, we have predicted Kerala Blasters to hold on to a 1-1 draw.