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After being displaced from the top of the ISL 2023-24 points table, Kerala Blasters FC will look to reclaim the spot when they take on Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on November 29, Wednesday.
FC Goa, with a narrow 1-0 victory over Jamshedpur, leapfrogged the Tuskers earlier in the week. But Ivan Vukomanovic's men have had an air of inevitability about their performances and managed to win five out of their opening seven matches.
But the Serbian gaffer is wary of the threat that Wednesday's opponents possess. At the pre-match press conference, Vukomanovic stated:
“Our games against Chennaiyin FC have always been tough. I expect a very tough, physical game with many duels tomorrow. It is the type of game that has always happened between these two teams. Where we or our opponent stand at the table at the moment doesn’t matter right now."
As cited by the KBFC head coach, Marina Machan's record in the league so far hasn't been truly representative of their quality. Owen Coyle's men have accumulated just seven points from their opening seven appearances.
In their last outing, the Chennai-based outfit was held to a 1-1 draw at home by East Bengal FC. Despite some moments of brilliance, the side has been lacking clinicality in the final third.
Kerala Blasters vs Chennaiyin FC: Match details
Match: Kerala Blasters FC vs Chennaiyin FC, ISL 2023-24.
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
Timings: 8.00 pm IST on Wednesday, November 29.
Kerala Blasters vs Chennaiyin FC: Predicted Lineups
KBFC: Sachin Suresh, Sandeep Singh, Pritam Kotal, Ruivah Hormipam, Naocha Huidrom Singh, Daisuke Sakai, Vibin Mohanan, Danish Farooq Bhat, Adrián Luna, Kwame Peprah, Dimitris Diamantakos.
CFC: Debjit Majumder (GK), Ankit Mukherjee, Bikash Yumnam, Ryan Edwards, Akash Sangwan, Cristian Battocchio, Jiteshwor Singh, Rafael Crivellaro, Farukh Choudhary, Rahim Ali, Jordan Murray.
Kerala Blasters vs Chennaiyin FC: Prediction
On paper, the form, performances and home support indicate a comfortable victory for Kerala Blasters on Wednesday. However, Owen Coyle is a manager who thrives on such high-octane fixtures and Chennaiyin FC are capable of delivering a surprise result.
Prediction: Kerala Blasters 1-1 Chennaiyin FC
