The Southern rivalry in the Indian Super League (ISL) takes centre stage as table-toppers Bengaluru FC prepare to visit arch-rivals Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, on Friday.
The kick-off is scheduled at 7:30 PM IST. Bengaluru FC are currently a happy side sitting comfortably at the pole position, with four wins and a draw, giving them 13 points. On the other hand, Kerala Blasters FC, who have lost points on the road, will be eager to hand the Blues their first defeat of the season. Kerala is at sixth spot with two wins, two draws and a loss, with a total of eight points.
After starting the season with a 1-2 loss to Punjab FC, Kerala Blasters FC are yet to lose another game. They have won twice and drawn twice in the last four outings. The last time the Blasters enjoyed such a streak was back in between October and November 2023 (five games: three wins and two draws). Head coach Mikael Stahre should be pleased with the seamless adaptation of the players into his footballing style and philosophy.
Since the start of the 2019-20 season, apart from the campaigns held in the bubble, the home team has won every game in this fixture. The last time an away side won this game was Bengaluru FC (2-1 win) back on November 5, 2018. Will this act as an impediment to the Blues’ juggernaut this season?
Bengaluru FC are the only side who are yet to concede a goal in this ISL edition. They have kept a clean-sheet in their last five games, which is the joint-longest such run by a club in this league. On the contrary, when it comes to Kochi, Gerard Zaragoza’s side have never kept a clean-sheet in five ISL games, losing the last three at this very venue.
Bengaluru FC have attempted the least shots per game (11) in the ongoing season. But, as per Matchweek 5, they have the best shot conversion rate (14.6 per cent). It shows that they are being lethal in the opportunities that they take, adding an extra layer of ruthlessness to their offensive effectiveness.
Kerala Blasters FC have locked horns with Bengaluru FC on 15 occasions in the Indian Super League. While Kerala Blasters FC have won just four fixtures, Bengaluru FC have emerged victorious on nine occasions, with two games ending in a draw. A total of 40 goals have been scored in this fixture, with the Blues again dominating the results with 24 goals to their name compared to the Kerala Blasters FC’s 16.
Kerala Blasters FC head coach Mikael Stahre explained that his team is following a set routine that they wish to replicate across every game. But at the same time, they make changes to their plans as per the strength of the opposition too.
“We want to play a fast game with a lot of confidence. We want to be very competitive and then for every match there are different game plans that we have. So about 80 per cent of our strategy is the philosophy we follow and 20 per cent is the adjustments we make for every game,” Stahre said as quoted by an ISL press release.
Bengaluru FC head coach Zaragoza has laid the focus on the 25-year-old Naorem Roshan Singh, who has been exceptional for the team on both ends of the field this season. His four interceptions have been accompanied with nine tackles along with one goal, reflecting his utility in defence and attack.
“He (Naorem Roshan Singh) is improving in defence. It is too difficult to attack Roshan. In one-on-one situations, he is very good. Now, he is playing for the national team. He has a lot of confidence, and we are working with him to arrive more (often in the box) because he’s helping us as a winger,” the coach said.
Key Players & Milestones
*Sunil Chhetri has scored seven goals against Kerala Blasters FC. If he scores tomorrow, he will be on par with Diego Mauricio, who has eight goals (the most) against them. Chhetri has also scored in two of his last three games against Kerala Blasters FC.
*Noah Sadaoui has the highest expected assists value (xA) in the ongoing edition – 2.15. Moreover, the Moroccan has created 14 chances and delivered two assists. Only Greg Stewart has created more chances (17) and assists (3) than him. His piercing pace and ability to take on defenders at will, should be crucial for the team’s forays forward.
*Bengaluru FC’s Nikhil Poojary has registered 24 forward passes per game in ISL 2024-25. This is the second-highest among all outfield players with multiple appearances. The player leading this chart is Odisha FC’s Ahmed Jahouh with 31.5 forward passes. Poojary tends to be instrumental for the team’s fortunes at both ends of the field.
*Kerala Blasters FC’s Naocha Singh has made 2.5 interceptions per game. At the end of matchweek 5, this is the second-best among players with multiple appearances. Only Punjab FC’s Nikhil Prabhu has more interceptions (3.3). Additionally, he has registered 18.8 forward passes per game at the end of the previous matchweek.
