The stage is all set at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where Kerala Blasters and Mohun Bagan are clashing in the quarterfinals of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025. Both teams are eager to secure a spot in the semifinals, promising an exciting match despite the sweltering afternoon heat.
Weakened Mohun Bagan squad offers Kerala Blasters a golden opportunity
Mohun Bagan
This matchup becomes even more intriguing as Mohun Bagan fields a youthful team, missing several key players and featuring just one foreign player, Portuguese defender Nuno Reis. After advancing directly to the quarterfinals due to Churchill Brothers’ forfeit, the Mariners, coached today by Bastab Roy, will lean heavily on Indian talents like Sahal Abdul Samad, Deepak Tangri, and Ashique Kuruniyan.
On the other hand, Kerala Blasters, fresh off a confident 2-0 victory over East Bengal, are led by head coach David Catala and boast in-form attackers Jesus Jimenez and Noah Sadaoui.
Kerala Blasters
As the match kicked off, Kerala took control of the early possession but struggled to find the back of the net. Mohun Bagan, while appearing a bit passive, held their ground defensively, with Nuno Reis and goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh solidifying their backline. It turned into a close contest, with both sides creating a few half-chances but failing to break the deadlock in the first 20 minutes.
This fixture carries extra significance as Mohun Bagan has had the upper hand over Kerala in the ISL this season, winning both encounters, including a decisive 3-0 victory in Kochi.
However, with the Mariners missing some key international players today, the Blasters have a prime opportunity to seek revenge and secure a semifinal matchup against either FC Goa or Punjab FC. Fans can catch all the live action on Star Sports 3 and stream it on JioCinema and Hotstar.