Kerala Blasters faces Mumbai City FC in a must-win match for both teams in the Hero ISL at the Tilak Maidan stadium here on Wednesday. With a point separating the two teams, a win is imperative for the fourth placed Mumbai City (31 points) and the fifth placed Kerala Blasters’ (30 points) to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Kerala Blasters needs at least four points from its next two matches — Blaster’s last match is against ninth placed FC Goa on Sunday — and a win against Mumbai will take it closer to the play-offs. Mumbai will also be eyeing a win over Kerala Blasters as it will take its tally to 34 points. And Mumbai doesn’t want to leave it late as it plays league topper Odisha FC in its last match.
Best match
Kerala Blasters, which was very much the underdog, played one of its best matches this season when it blanked the then table topper Mumbai City FC 3-0 when the sides met last time in December.
Kerala Blasters has since then blown hot and cold this season. The last minute blues has continued to haunt the team time and again and it needs to be on the top of its game against Mumbai. Adrian Luna, Alvaro Vasquez and Jorge Pereyra Diaz have delivered for Kerala Blasters when it mattered.
However, Abdul Samad after showing good form at the start of the season has faded away. Kerala will want the trio to fire against Mumbai which will have to shore up its leaky defence. Key marksman Igor Angulo will hold the aces for Mumbai which has shown consistency in the last couple of games.
