ISL | A new-look Blasters take on a determined Punjab

All in readiness: KBFC, which was beaten by PFC in Kochi last season, has its task cut out.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

Despite letting go of Dimitrios Diamantakos, the ISL’s top scorer last season, Kerala Blasters has been scoring plenty of goals in the pre-season in Thailand and in the Durand Cup where its Moroccan forward Noah Sadaoui took the Golden Boot award.

And Mikael Stahre, the new head coach, will be hoping Sadaoui and Spaniard Jesus Jimenez continue their fine form in Blasters’ ISL season-opener against Punjab FC at the Nehru Stadium here on Sunday.

“We have been pretty solid so we are absolutely ready but the games in the ISL will tell us where we stand. It will be a hard game but hopefully we can beat them,” said Stahre.

Punjab beat Blasters 3-1 in Kochi in its debut ISL year last season and the two finished level 1-1 in the recent Durand Cup. Blasters, which will be led by their star Adrian Luna, made the ISL playoff last season after finishing fifth while Punjab finished eighth and missed the cut.

Meanwhile, PFC’s head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis felt the changes in the team would show in its performance.

“We have a new coaching staff, new foreign and Indian players and that is the biggest difference from last season,” said Dilmperis. “This season we will try to better the performance from last year and qualify for the playoffs.”