Kalinga Super Cup 2024: Kerala Blasters Have Expectations To Live Up To As ISL Leaders

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Kerala Blasters and their yellow army will look to exert their presence at the Kalinga Super Cup 2024 as the ISL leaders when they start their campaign in Group B against Shillong Lajong on January 10. The challenge only gets tougher as the group progresses with Jamshedpur FC and NorthEast United to play later on.

Things get trickier if there's any negative result as it could be the cause of elimination from the title run with just one semifinal spot up for grabs. However, with a lot of stake in ISL, the Kochi-based club may test their bench strength instead.

Before all that, Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic will be looking for some immediate solutions as his side will be without their star winger Rahul KP and experienced right-back Pritam Kotal. The two Indian internationals, along with backup striker Ishan Pandita, are in Qatar for the AFC Asian Cup 2024.

Diamantakos's goalscoring spree

Not to forget that their star Uruguayan midfielder Adrian Luna is not returning anytime soon following knee surgery last month. However, Dimitrios Diamantakos and Kwame Peprah have combined well up front for big wins over Mumbai City FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giants towards the end of 2023.

Dimantakos, in particular, has been impressive with seven goals and two assists to his name. The Greek is on a scoring spree with five goals in his last five games. The absence of Pandita may deny the two overseas forwards any rest before the ISL resumes next month.

Jeakson Singh returns to already already-settled midfield

The team has found their combination in midfield in the absence of Luna as Vibin Mohanan and Danish Farooq have combined well in the middle of the park while Mohammed Aimen has made the left midfield position his own.

His twin brother Mohammed Azhar may find a place in the starting line-up too with an impressive show in the last game but all eyes will be on Jeakson Singh, who has resumed training after a long injury lay-off and may see some minutes soon in the Kalinga Super Cup. The likes of Saurav Mandal, Sukham Meetei, and Bryce Miranda will hope to see some minutes as well

Veteran goalkeeper Karanjit Singh is likely to guard the goal instead of first-choice Sachin Suresh too as coach Vukomanovic will prefer seeing his backup shotstopper get some minutes with the stakes higher for the second half of the season.

As far as the defense is concerned, Hormipam Ruivah may see some minutes as the centre-back with rotation possible between first-choice pair Marko Leskovic and Milos Drincic. Prabir Das is the favourite to take the right-back spot in the absence of Kotal while in-form left-back Noacha Singh is likely to keep his spot.

Kerala Blasters probable line-up: Karanjit Singh (GK), Prabir Das, Hormipam Ruivah, Milos Drincic*, Huidrom Naocha Singh, Vibin Mohanan, Danish Farooq, Mohammed Azhar, Mohammed Aimen, Kwame Peprah*, Dimitrios Diamantakos*

Players unavailable: Rahul KP, Pritam Kotal, and Ishan Pandita (AFC Asian Cup)

Kerala Blasters Schedule in Group B
Kerala Blasters vs Shillong Lajong (January 10, 2:00 PM)
Kerala Blasters vs Jamshedpur FC (January 15, 7:30 PM)
Kerala Blasters vs NorthEast United (January 20, 7:30 PM)