Chennaiyin FC will target a second straight victory when they host a Kerala Blasters team desperate for their first points in the Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
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The South Indian Derby match is scheduled for a 7 pm IST (2.30 pm BST, 9.30 am ET) start with live coverage in India on Star Sports 2, Star Sports HD2, Star Sports 3, Star Gold, Asianet Movies, Suvarna Channel and Jalsha Movies. Viewers can also watch the ISL Derby via live streaming online for free on Starsports.com.
US viewers can live stream the action on FoxSoccer2go, while Europe viewers can catch the action live on Eurosport or their online Player. Middle East and North Africa viewers can watch the game on Bein Sports or via live streaming on Bein Sports Connect. South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa audience can catch the ISL match live on SuperSport or their online option. Australia viewers can catch the match live on Fox Sports 2 or via their live video option online.
Marco Materazzi's team produced a solid defensive performance against FC Goa in their opening match to come away with a 2-1 away victory.
Balwant Singh scored the opening goal for Chennaiyin in their match at FC Goa, before marquee player Elano struck a peach of a freekick to double the team's lead.
FC Goa threw everything at Chennaiyin FC in the second half, but Materazzi's well-drilled men held on to take home an impressive three points.
It is quite clear that Chennaiyin FC will be built on the principles of their coach – Materazzi was a hard-nosed, no-nonsense defender, and the ISL team from Chennai looks like they will be a solid, hard-tackling, extremely sound defensive unit as well.
There is plenty going forward for Chennaiyin FC as well, though, with Elano, particularly showing his class and the Kerala Blasters defence will have to be at their best to stop the Brazilian from pulling the strings.
The squad has been further boosted by the signings of the experienced Eric Djemba-Djemba, a former Manchester United midfielder and Haiti international Jean-Eudes Maurice.
"We are happy to sign Djemba-Djemba and Maurice," Materazzi was quoted as saying by the ISL's official website. "Both are top players and will add plenty of quality and experience to our team. We are also sad that [Pierre] Tillman and Eduardo [Silva Lerma] are leaving and wish them well for the future."
For the Kerala Blasters, it will be about finding their finishing prowess in front of goal. They dominated NorthEast United FC in their opening match in Guwahati, but just could not find the back of the net, with NEUFC running away 1-0 winners.
There were plenty of positives, though, for the Sachin Tendulkar-owned side and if the likes of Michael Chopra, CS Sabeeth, Andrew Barisic and Iain Hume can find their goalscoring boots, then they will pose a serious threat to Chennaiyin FC.
For the Kerala Blasters, much will also depend on how skipper Penn Orji controls proceedings in midfield. If the experiences Nigerian can take the game by the scruff of the neck and pick out those defence-splitting passes and make those late runs into the box, then the Blasters will create enough chances to score goals.
The Chennaiyin FC defence will again have to be at their best to keep the ball from hitting the net, and they will look to replicate the performance from the match against FC Goa, when they were resolute and difficult to break down for much of the 90 minutes.
