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Looking to bounce back from their respective defeats, Chennaiyin FC are set to host their southern rivals Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Friday, February 16.
Following an inconsistent start, Chennaiyin have suffered three consecutive defeats, including a disappointing 1-0 loss to Bengaluru FC, causing them to slide down the ISL table.
Currently occupying the 11th position, they are trailing sixth-placed NorthEast United by five points, with a game in hand. Head coach Owen Coyle has urged his team to improve their performances, especially with crucial home games on the horizon.
"We certainly don’t enjoy losing a game as we did in Bengaluru, but we tried to understand the reasons for that and look to get better. At the moment, we stand to play six home games in eight weeks. If you look at our form, we had our best spell when we had home games in October and November," Coyle said in the pre-match press conference.
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Meanwhile, Kerala Blasters have also faced difficulties since the start of the year, suffering four consecutive defeats. Ivan Vukomanovic’s men experienced their first loss at home in their last match, with Punjab FC securing a 3-1 victory.
The defeats have caused them to slip to fourth place in the table as they trail leaders Odisha FC by five points. Injuries have added to their challenges, and the Blasters suddenly appear short of ideas in the attacking third.
Vukomanovic, during his press conference, emphasized the importance of his team capitalizing on their opportunities.
"First of all, it’s a lack of quality in making good decisions in the last third of the pitch. There is no reason for the inability to convert our chances. We can speak about passing and all these (other) things but in ISL it doesn’t count at all. The decisions you make in the last third in front of goal (matter)," the head coach said.
Chennaiyin FC vs Kerala Blasters FC: Telecast Details
The ISL clash between Chennaiyin FC and Kerala Blasters FC will be broadcast live on Sports18 and VH1 in India. It can also be live-streamed on the JioCinema app on Friday, February 16 from 7:30 PM.
Chennaiyin FC vs Kerala Blasters FC: Predicted Lineups
Chennaiyin FC: Debjit Majumder (GK), Ankit Mukherjee, Ryan Edwards, Lazar Cirkovic, Aakash Sangwan, Ayush Adhikari, Cristian Battocchio, Rafael Crivellaro, Rahim Ali, Ninthoi Meetei, Jordan Murray.
Kerala Blasters FC: Sachin Suresh (GK), Pritam Kotal, Milos Drincic, Ruivah Hormipam, Huidrom Naocha Singh, Rahul KP, Jeakson Singh, Mohammed Azhar, Daisuke Sakai, Dimitrios Diamantakos, Fedor Cernych.
Chennaiyin FC vs Kerala Blasters FC: Prediction
Both teams have struggled to hit the ground running since the turn of the year, with injuries playing a significant role. Despite their lack of success in Chennai, Kerala Blasters FC will start as slight favorites given their position in the table.
Chennaiyin FC will look to build on their home form, and with a fully fit squad at their disposal, they will want to get out on the front foot and be clinical in front of goal. The game could potentially end up being an end-to-end affair, which would benefit the Marina Machans.
Prediction: Chennaiyin FC 2-1 Kerala Blasters FC
