Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters face off in the Southern Derby

TEAM NEWS

This evening, Kerala Blasters FC will face off against reigning Durand Champions Bengaluru FC in a must-win Southern Derby fixture at Kolkata’s Kishore Bharati Krirangan.

The two teams go into this game needing a victory to be able to keep their chances of progressing in the tournament strong. The Blues come into the game after securing a 1-1 draw against the Indian Air Force on Monday, whereas the Blasters are looking to bounce back from a 4-3 loss against Gokulam Kerala in their opening game of the campaign.

QUICK RUNDOWN

KBFC now finds themselves in a scenario where they have to win their last two remaining Group C games to enhance their chances of qualifying for the next round of the tournament.

The two teams most recently played in April 2023 in the Hero Super Cup, resulting in a stalemate 1-1 draw featuring one goal each from Roy Krishna and Dimitrios Diamantakos for their respective teams.

The Blues come into the tournament with a relatively inexperienced side, whereas the Blasters have deployed a squad with a mix of youth and experience at Ivan Vukamanovic’s disposal.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT

Muhammad Aimen: The young midfield pocket- sized dynamo has been steadily grabbing attention with his energetic play and ability to move the ball into attacking positions.

Jeakson Singh : With his presence, Jeakson Singh could again dominate the game’s flow for the Kerala Blasters and ensure that the Blasters retain most of the possession for the entirety of the game.

Hormipam Ruivah: The young defender has grown in stature with every passing game over his time at KBFC, and his performance this evening at the back of the formation could prove to be vital to the result going in Blasters’ favour.

WHERE TO WATCH

Kick-off: 6.00 PM

Live Streaming: Exclusive to Sony LIV

Live Telecast: Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD

The live updates for the game will also be made available through the club’s official Twitter account.