Jamshedpur will take on Kerala in the Sunday night clash of Indian Football League 2020-21 to eye playoff position. On the other side, Kerala would aim to recover from two back-to-back defeats.
Match Timings: Jan 10, 7:30 PM IST
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Jamshedpur and Kerala lock horns in Sunday’s second doubleheader clash. Jamshedpur is taking this campaign in a better way, and they looked like a compact unit. After losing the season opener to Chennai, they continued its top game, and after losing the second game against Goa, they bounced back to defeat strong Bengaluru. The playoff spot looks possible for the Red Miners, but they need to be consistent.
From the early minutes, Jamshedpur had control over Bengaluru’s backline. Chettri couldn’t avail the chances, but with both wingers, Aniket Jadhav and Jackichand Singh, Red Miners had the upper hand. The Blues could have gained the early lead, but Rehenesh blocked Cleiton Silva’s shot. Jackichand Singh made a chance through a header, but Gurpreet Singh Sandhu managed to save the shot. Blues made few changes, but it wasn’t enough to break Jamshedpur’s backline. After the second cooling break, Eze struck the winner through assistance from Aniket Jadhav. Rehenesh’s ultimate save in the 86th minute created a difference as he blocked Rahul Bheke’s header. The goalkeeper should get the credits for all the saves, and Jamshedpur still needs an improvement in the defense line. The win here can book its place in the top four, and the poor form of Bengaluru assured their chances.
Meanwhile, Kerala is repeating their issues, and the maiden victory against Hyderabad didn’t change much. After the first win, Kerala lost to Mumbai and Odisha. The previous defeat hurt them more as they conceded three points after taking the early lead. Jordan Murray netted the opening goal in the 7th minute, but Odisha dominated the game after then. Jeakson Singh’s own goal in the 22nd minute gave Odisha an equaliser. Gomes made a few good saves to avoid the damage from Diego Mauricio. The captain scored the second for Odisha through Jerry’s fine free-kick.In the second half, the story remained the same for Kerala as Mauricio netted a brace within 10 minutes. Kerala tried to pull off a comeback and got their second goal from the substitute Gary Hooper, but Odisha had the last laugh with 4-2.
Kerala could have scored more goals, but they failed the opportunities. Kibu Vicuna brought Abdul Hakku to replace Costa Nhamoinesu, but it didn’t work out, and he allowed Odisha to score the opening goal. The defenders couldn’t tackle Diego Mauricio, who scored twice in the previous game. Kerala needs a big improvement in defense, and they desperately need a recovery to move forwards in the table. They are going to miss out on the playoffs for the successive season.
Possible Lineups & Current Form
Jamshedpur
TP Rehenesh; Stephen Eze, Peter Hartley, Laldinliana Renthlei, Ricky Lallawmawma, Aitor Monroy, Alexandre Lima, Jackichand Singh, Mohammad Mobashir, Aniket Jadhav, Nerijus Valskis
Current Form: W L W D D
Previous match: 1-0 victory over Bengaluru
Kerala
Albino Gomes; Nishu Kumar, Sandeep Singh, Abdul Hakku, Jessel Carneiro; Vicente Gomez, Jeakson Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad; Rahul KP, Facundo Pereyra, Jordan Murray
Current Form: L L W D W
Previous match: 4-2 defeat against Odisha
Key Players
Jamshedpur
Nerijus Valskis
6 goals in Indian Football League 2020-21
Stephen Eze
3 goals in Indian Football League 2020-21
Kerala
Jordan Murry
3 goals in Indian Football League 2020-21
Gary Hooper
1 goal and 1 assist in Indian Football League 2020-21
