The clash between FC Goa and Kerala Blasters has always been an entertaining one in the Indian Super League. Unfortunately, in ISL 2016, these two sides get involved for the bottom of the table clash yet again.
Their return leg fixture takes place on Tuesday at the JLN Stadium in Kochi. In their first leg fixture of the season, the sides were at the bottom of the ISL 2016 points table as well. Kerala Blasters, owing to a good show from Kervens Belfort, got the narrow win on Fatorda last month.
Will the result be the same this time around? This remains to be seen. CATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
Key players from both teams are unavailable for the match. Kerala Blasters marquee player Aaron Hughes, as well as FC Goa marquee player Lucio, are unavailable. Apart from them, Kerala misses the services of Duckens Nazon, while Bengaluru FC players Rino Anto and CK Vineeth are also unavailable for the game owing to ISL 2016 promotionals.
Apart from Lucio, Reinaldo, Julio Cesar, Denzil Franco and Pratesh Shirodkar are, meanwhile, unavailable for Zico's FC Goa.
FC Goa are at the bottom of the table with seven points from eight games and five defeats. Despite that, Kerala Blasters coach Steve Coppell is not taking Zico's team lightly. "Obviously [FC Goa are] a very successful team in the ISL. With six games to go any team who manages to win three out of them could make it to the semi-finals," stated the English coach.
"This is the same for any team right now. That's a great incentive for any team knowing that there are only six games to go."
Zico, meanwhile, has urged his side to go for nothing but a win. "No matter wherever you play, you play to win," said the Brazil football legend. "Goa and Kerala are both in a position where we need a win and we both will be playing our best. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it ends up in a draw, but we play to win."
Head to head record: FC Goa 3-2 Kerala Blasters
Schedule
FC Goa vs Kerala Blasters is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm IST (2.30 pm BST) on October 24.
Where to watch live
India: TV - Star Sports 1/HD1, Star Sports 2/HD2, Star Sports 3/HD3
Star Gold, Star Utsav (Hindi)
Jalsha Movies (Bengali)
Asianet Movies (Malayalam)
Asianet Suvarna Plus (Kannada)
Live streaming - Hotstar.
Europe: TV - Star Gold
Australia, USA: TV - Fox Sports
Canada: TV - CBN, ATN Bangla
Bangladesh: TV - Channel 9
South-East Asia: TV - Eurosport
Live score - Twitter
