The League format of the Hero Indian Super League ended on the 7th of March, with the race for the top 4 going down to the wire. In the end, Jamshedpur FC won their first-ever trophy – The League Shield, with Hyderabad FC, ATK Mohun Bagan, and Kerala Blasters joining them in the playoffs. The first semifinal match between league winners Jamshedpur FC and fourth-placed Kerala Blasters FC took place on 11th March with the Blasters coming away with a slender 1-0 win, meaning Jamshedpur FC will have to overcome that deficit on the 15th of March to do the double of the League Shield and the ISL Championship.
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In the 2021-22 season of the ISL, Jamshedpur FC has been unstoppable. With Owen Coyle managing the team and Greg Stewart on the pulse, the Men of Steel seemed stronger than ever. The Red Miners scored the second-most goals in the league (42) while conceding the least (21). It’s the first time in the clubs five year history that they have qualified for the ISL semi finals, but manager Owen Coyle has been in this situation in the past where he knocked FC Goa out to get Chennaiyin FC into an unlikely final.
As for their opponents Kerala Blasters FC, they have qualified for the playoff stage for the first time since 2016. Over the years, Ivan Vukomanovic has finally managed to build a team that the Blasters fans can truly get behind. From finishing 10th in the previous campaign to knocking out Mumbai City FC for the final playoff spot shows that the side has improved and has the potential to go all the way. A win in the 1st leg snapped a 7 game winning streak of Jamshedpur FC but the Blasters will know that their work is far from over ahead of this big clash where even a draw could seal a spot in the Finale.
HEAD TO HEAD | |
Matches Played | 11 |
Jamshedpur FC Wins | 3 |
Kerala Blasters Wins | 2 |
Draws | 6 |
Players To Look Out For:
▶ Greg Stewart, Jamshedpur FC
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Despite signing Daniel Chima Chukwu in January to help the team with their attacking play, Greg Stewart still remains the key player that holds the key. Earlier this season, he became just the second player in ISL history to hit double figures in both goals and assists in a single season. His dribbling skills and eye for goal make him unstoppable when the man is in form.
▶ Adrian Luna & Sahal Abdul Samad, Kerala Blasters FC
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The only reason why Kerala Blasters have managed to bag that crucial fourth spot was because of their two wide players Adrian Luna and Sahal Abdul Samad who have been the propellers of their attacking play. The press, drifting into spaces that cut open the opponent’s defense. When these two link up together, there’s no stopping them, and the two have combined brilliantly with their two attackers Alvaro Vazquez and Pereyra Diaz which should put a lot of pressure on the Jamshedpur defense line.
[Featured Image Credit: Indian Football Fans United]
Shashank Iyer