It is a rematch of the final of 2014 Indian Super League. The only difference this time around is the venue. The DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai has been replaced by the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
The Kerala Blasters know which side the fans will be on, as they look for revenge on Atletico de Kolkata for that loss in 2014. Mohammad Rafique, who won the title for Kolkata two years ago, will be in the opposite camp this time.
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For Kolkata, it is a chance to affirm their status as the most consistent team in the league while for the Blasters, this is about proving that last year was just a blip and they have well and truly recovered.
On an occasion like a final, very often, it is individual brilliance, one moment of inspiration that sets the two teams apart. On both sides, there is no shortage of players who can provide that spark. We take a look at five such players who could be the hero on the big day.
#1 Iain Hume
Over the three years of the ISL, there is no question that Hume has been the best player, by far. He has not disappointed this time either. After a slow start to the campaign, he hit form just as the tournament reached its business end. This season, there hasn’t been a more important contribution for Kolkata than his two goals in the first leg of their semifinal against Mumbai City FC.
That enabled Kolkata to take a tactical approach to the second leg, rest a lot of their important players and ensure that the entire squad stayed fresh heading into the final.
There is no denying that Hume is a man for the big occasion. He has scored in all three semifinal ties that he has played – none better than a sublime volley against Chennaiyin FC last year – albeit in a lost cause.
Hume has scored seven goals this season, but it is not just his goals that will concern Steve Coppell. He is the man who ties Kolkata’s attacks together and along with Helder Postiga and Sameehg Doutie, he will cause Kerala problems.
The biggest advantage for Kolkata when they attack is that Hume and Postiga never stay static. Both of them keep rotating their position, with one coming deep to receive the ball while the other plays on the shoulder of the last defender.
So, it will be important for Kerala’s defenders and their holding midfielders to communicate well and keep their concentration. Otherwise, there is little doubt that Hume will punish them.
#2 CK Vineeth
It would not be a stretch to say that Kerala’s revival started with the arrival of Vineeth after his AFC Cup exploits with Bengaluru FC. Vineeth has scored five goals for Kerala and three of those goals ensured that his side took away all three points from the game.
The Kannur-born player has relished being given the responsibility this season. Even at Bengaluru, Albert Roca played him as the central striker, making him the focal point of all their attacks.
His role has been slightly different for Kerala though. Playing for a team from his home state has clearly motivated him further, as he has enjoyed his stint with the Blasters, both on and off the pitch.
The form of Haitians, Duckens Nazon and Kervens Belfort, has meant that Vineeth has played out wide, but that has not deterred him one bit. He did not score in either leg of the semifinal but the threat that he posed was evident.
His pace will be critical in Kerala trying to get in behind the Kolkata defence on Sunday. But his pace is not the only threat. His work-rate is stellar, as good as any other forward in the league. Henrique Sereno and co. will be aware of that and they will have to ensure they don’t dwell on the ball for too long.
With Mohammad Rafi likely to be absent for the final, there is a responsibility that falls on the shoulders of Vineeth. He will play on the shoulder of the last defender and will be Kerala’s most important attacking outlet in the final.
#3 Borja Fernandez
If Hume has been the star over the three years of the league, Kolkata’s Spanish captain is the bedrock on which their attacking play is built. His presence in midfield allows freedom for creative players in the side to express themselves.
But it is not just his assured presence in midfield that makes Borja so important for Jose Molina. His athleticism belies his age of 35. In testing conditions, where the humidity and heat on occasion have made it extremely difficult for teams to maintain their tempo, Borja has been an epitome of energy.
He reads the game really well, is positionally very sound and is always aware of his surroundings. That explains his knack in always being there at the right place at the right time. With 46 successful tackles and 25 successful interceptions, he leads his side in both those aspects.
In recent games, the presence of Stephen Pearson has helped Borja immensely. The Scot has a very similar playing style and he doubles up Kolkata’s efforts in midfield.
Borja has not scored a goal this season. As he has shown in the first two years, he is capable of conjuring up the spectacular. The Blasters will be hoping that he doesn’t choose Sunday to replicate the efforts against Mumbai City FC in 2014 and FC Goa in 2015.
#4 Sandip Nandy
The 41-year old is an enigma in every sense of the word. And in one night in Delhi in the second leg of the semifinal, he proved why. He was at fault for both of Delhi’s goals in regulation time, as he came off his line when he would have been better advised to stay between his sticks and deal with the danger.
But, he more than made up for those gaffes. He pulled off some very good saves from Florent Malouda, Ruben Rocha and Memo, to ensure that the game did go into extra-time. The save from Malouda, in particular, was brilliant. It was a stinging left-footed shot from the Frenchman and Nandy saw it late, but he got down low to his right to push the ball well away from danger.
Nandy has played 10 games for Kerala this and has conceded seven goals, keeping four clean sheets in the process. He has ensured that Kerala haven't had to turn to Graham Stack, meaning that they have had one more foreigner’s slot to play in the outfield positions.
The shot-stopper is prone to his moments of madness, moments where you think how is this man a professional goalkeeper, but those are few and far between and it is the moments when he is an experienced goalkeeper that show his real class, calming the nerves of those in front of him.
#5 Aaron Hughes
The Northern Irishman has lived up to his tag of being the Kerala Blasters’ marquee player. In many ways, Hughes’s importance to this side has been evident more when he has not played than when he has played.
He has flown away on national duty two times during the course of the season so far, and Kerala struggled in his absence. When Hughes has played, they have kept 4 clean sheets in ten games, conceding seven goals in the process. In contrast, in the six games that he has missed, Kerala have kept only one clean sheet, with 11 goals being let in.
Hughes and Cedric Hengbart have formed a solid partnership at the heart of Kerala’s defence. Both men are not the quickest, nor are they the strongest , but they are astute readers of the game and use every bit of their experience to keep opponents at bay.
The rise of Sandesh Jhingan and Pratik Chowdhary this season has been a huge credit to Hughes and Hengbart. Both have ably marshalled the young Indians in the side and got the best out of them.
If they can do that for one more game in front of their adoring faithful in Kochi, there is no reason why Hughes will not be lifting Kerala’s first ever ISL title.
