North East United FC keen to break home jinx

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: NorthEast United FC will look to break the home jinx when they host Kerala Blasters FC in an ISL tie at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Friday. The match will kick off at 7-30 in the evening.

NorthEast United FC have been impressive in the Hero Indian Super League with 11 points from their first six matches. They are just below the top four at the moment. However the side is yet to register a victory in home ground this season.

A lot would depend on Bartholomew Ogbeche, who has scored more than 50 per cent of the goals for NorthEast this season. When the Nigerian striker has got on the scoresheet, NorthEast have never lost a game.

Coach Eelco Schattorie has been boosted by the return of defender Mislav Komorski. He, however, did admit that one of his foreign players has suffered a season-ending injury although refused to disclose his name.

“We have one foreigner injured who might not play for the entire season, but I will not name him now as it can be an advantage for the opponents. Ogbeche had some injury but he is back. We have some Indian players injured but this is part of football,” said Schattorie.

Kerala Blasters, meanwhile, haven’t won a single game since their opening day victory over ATK. Coach David James has struggled to get his team going and the South Indian side is coming into the game on the back of two home defeats against Bengaluru FC and FC Goa.

“Our performances have been decent enough except for one match which is the Goa game where we didn’t perform well enough. Goa are very good side. You have to accept on some occasions that some teams are better than you. In the other six games, including the Bengaluru game, we had decent performances. We always want to win games, want to qualify and win the ISL. We aim for three points,” said James.

Meanwhile It will be a homecoming of sorts for Seminlen Doungel and Halicharan Narzary as they line-up against their former side.

Commenting on the next match opponent Schattorie said, “I think they are a very unpredictable team. Their strength is that they are a little opportunistic. They have players like Len Doungel and Halicharan Narzary who were in our team last time. They are good with dribbles, they play long balls. Defensively they have some weaknesses which I am not going to address. I studied the team well,” said Schattorie.

Also Read: Sports News