NorthEast United FC will hope to continue their winning start in the Indian Super League as they take on Kerala Blasters FC in their second match of the season at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. The Highlanders head into the fixture on the back of a win over Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their opener at home.History suggests that Sunday’s contest is unlikely to be straightforward. Across 25 previous meetings, Kerala Blasters FC have recorded nine wins while the hosts have won six, and 10 matches have ended in draws.The Highlanders, however, have enjoyed some memorable results in the fixture, and those performances offer a reminder of what the team can achieve when it finds its rhythm against the Kerala outfit.“We are facing a very good team. Kerala have a balanced squad, with experienced players and young talent, and they have a good coach with a clear idea of how he wants his team to play,” NEUFC coach Juan Pedro Benali said during the pre-match press conference in Guwahati on Saturday.Benali was equally clear about the tactical challenge posed by Kerala and their head coach, Ashley Westwood, describing the contest as one that could be decided by the smallest of details. “It is like a chess game. Ashley is a very good coach, talented and smart. Kerala are a tough team,” he added.For NorthEast United, the objective will be to carry the confidence of their opening victory into Sunday’s fixture without allowing it to become a source of complacency.After all, the Blasters too have won their opener and are in good spirits. “We showed good character, kept a clean sheet and handled a number of challenges off the field as well, including travel and logistical issues,” said Blasters head coach Ashley Westwood.“We’ve shown that we can score goals. In the eight games I’ve been involved in, I think we’ve only failed to score once. Players were able to last 90 minutes and are getting fitter every day. These are all positives, but we’re still not where we want to be.”Having said that, NEUFC will be playing at home and, as Benali said, the win over Mohun Bagan Super Giant was merely the beginning of a much longer journey, with consistency and continued improvement remaining the priorities.
