Hyderabad FC will play their first ever home game in the Indian Super League on Saturday evening, when they host Kerala Blasters at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Gachibowli. The side coached by Phil Brown has endured a disastrous start to its debut season, losing their first two games, conceding eight goals in the process while only scoring one.
The Blasters, on the other hand, will look to get back to winning ways, having lost their last game 1-0 to Mumbai City FC, at home in Kochi. That followed a win on the opening day, when they beat ATK 2-1.
Hyderabad FC v Kerala Blasters: Match Information
Date: 2nd November 2019
Kickoff: 7:30 PM IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
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Hyderabad FC v Kerala Blasters: Team News
Phil Brown really needs to find a solution to stop his side from leaking goals at the rate they're doing, so far. He hasn't been helped by the injury to Rafa Lopez, who inexplicably started in midfield in their opening game against ATK, before going off with injury. Ashish Rai may come back into the side and slot in at right-back, where Nikhil Poojary has looked like a fish out of water. Laldanmawia Ralte could also get a look-in, to complement the likes of Marcelinho and Robin Singh in attack.
This could also be the game in which Eelco Schattorie finally decides that Sahal Abdul Samad is ready to start in his midfield. Due to his commitments with the Indian national team, Sahal had missed a significant portion of Kerala's pre-season, and Schattorie said that was a big reason for him missing out on a start in the first two games. Kerala might also hand a start to local boy Rahul KP, who was impressive in his substitute appearance against Mumbai, in a game where Halicharan Narzary was poor.
Hyderabad FC v Kerala Blasters: Probable Lineups
Hyderabad FC: Kamaljit Singh, Ashish Rai, Gurtej Singh, Matthew Kilgallon, Sahil Panwar, Adil Khan, Marko Stankovic, Nikhil Poojary, Laldanmawia Ralte, Marcelinho, Robin Singh
Kerala Blasters: Bilal Khan, Mohammad Rakip, Gianni Zuiverloon, Jairo Rodriguez, Jessel Carneiro, Moustapha Gning, Sergio Cidoncha, Sahal Abdul Samad, Prasanth Karuthadathkuni, Rahul KP, Bartholomew Ogbeche
Hyderabad FC v Kerala Blasters: ISL Form Guide
Hyderabad FC: L-L
Kerala Blasters: L-W-D-L-W
Hyderabad FC v Kerala Blasters Head-to-Head
This will be the first meeting between the two sides, but Kerala did face the erstwhile FC Pune City, the team that folded up to give way for Hyderabad FC, 10 times.
Hyderabad FC v Kerala Blasters Prediction
Hyderabad have had an awful start, conceding eight goals in two games, and a squad still ravaged by injuries. Kerala, meanwhile, come into this game with more than a week's rest, and will be itching to set the record straight after a disappointing home loss to Mumbai City FC last time.
It's hard to look past Schattorie's side in this game.
Prediction: Hyderabad FC 1-3 Kerala Blasters
