“Now I am Red, Yellow is Done” – said Tomasz Tchorz in his first interview as newly formed Sporting Club Delhi’s head coach. This statement hits deep for anybody who has been following Kerala Blasters, at least since the 20/21 season (First Covid-19 season). The Pole has been an integral part behind the recent success of KBFC, especially known for his role in developing the current batch of KBFC Reserve Graduates from Vibin to Korou during his time as the Head Coach of the Reserve Side.
His first stint as a Senior team manager also came at KBFC, leading the senior squad on a temporary basis till the end of the season after the sacking of the Swede Mikael Stahre mid-season. Now, he’s facing KBFC head-to-head in just his 2nd game as SCD head coach. It’s “Onnel Aashante Nenjath allel Kalarikk purath” for the Blasters as they wait for their encounter, knowing they can’t afford any slip-ups if they want to keep their Super Cup Dreams alive and well. Marching on to the Match preview we go:
Familiar Faces
Yes, this is most likely a very familiar fact to the reader by now, but let me reiterate it once more – Tomasz knows this KBFC side, from head to toe, he helped build this team, and he knows their strengths and weaknesses, to maybe even pinpoint accuracy. The Polish tactician may or may not use this to his advantage, but the goal is clear: Delhi needs a win to survive – one more loss or even a draw, Delhi’s hopes will be crushed under the bus, as both Mumbai and Kerala have 3 points each, along with outclassing Delhi on other qualification factors like Goal Difference and Goals Scored. The Blasters will need to venture through tricky terrain here, as this Delhi side might just have a major tactical advantage through Tomasz, considering the Blasters are more or less the same old Blasters since his time at the club.
Same-Same but Different
Both Kerala and Delhi showed signs of a lack of communication and understanding in their respective first games, but while Delhi got thrashed by fellow ISL club and group favorites, Mumbai City, Kerala Blasters managed to get all 3 points from their battle against Rajasthan. It’s a fact that Delhi had a much tougher opposition to face compared to the Blasters, but both teams had almost the same weaknesses here and there. How far both teams have come from their last games could decide who would have the edge on the pitch.
The Foreign Advantage
Kerala Blasters are one of the few teams in this edition of Super Cup who are playing with all 6 foreigners available, a fact that gives more than a slight advantage over Delhi, who has two. This advantage held by the Blasters extends to the attacking zone as none among Delhi’s foreign players are strikers, giving the Blasters an edge in the final third due to the presence of both experienced and ISL-proven foreign players, each of whom can turn into an x-factor if the game goes in favor of the Blasters.
Squad Depth
Usually, Squad Depth and Kerala Blasters are two terms that never come out of anyone’s mouth together in recent years, with fans always complaining about the squad lacking players (esp. backups) in Key positions, arguing it makes the team exposed after an injury or two. But this season, the Blasters come prepared, with each position having enough proven backups of potentially Starting 11 quality (maybe except Defensive Midfield).
Sporting Club Delhi, on the other hand, cannot boast of the same squad depth as KBFC does, a fact which gives KBFC a slight advantage over them, especially in the 2nd half as KBFC has a more variety of substitutes, ready to implement whatever tactical change that the coach thinks the game demands, allowing the team to keep up the momentum in the intense last minutes.
Rain, Rain, Go Away…
Rain has been a mass mess-inducer this Super Cup, troubling players and managers alike. The Blasters’ new Portuguese forward, Tiago Alves, slipped during pre-match warmup in Bambolim due to the rain and was dropped from the squad, citing precautionary actions. The changes in the movement of the ball during rainy conditions, along with players slipping in crucial moments, causing major errors, and even causing a few to get injured, have made the rain a deciding factor in many games.
Key Battles:
Koldo Obieta vs Rafael Ribeiro: The Brazilian had a not-so-great debut with Delhi, conceding 4 in his first game, and will be looking to bounce back in this fixture. Koldo Obieta, on the other hand, had a dream debut with the Blasters, scoring the winner in their last game against Rajasthan United, and will be looking to extend his streak as he gets ready for the upcoming game. Koldo vs Rafael will be an interesting battle to watch, and who comes on top might just decide how the final scoreboard looks.
Andrei Alba vs Adrian Luna: Andrei Alba is a familiar foe for the Blasters. The Brazilian netted a brace against Kerala Blasters on their home turf, turning the game into a 2-1 victory for the visitors. The Brazilian’s task for tomorrow would be the same as what he had back then, scoring a goal or two, and breaking down the Blasters’ midfield, something which can’t be completely achieved without cutting off the Engine in the Blasters’ midfield – El Capitan, Adrian Luna.
Despite struggles with Age, Luna is still a valuable member of the Blasters repertoire, giving his all on the pitch and on his day, might just be the deadliest creator on the pitch. Blasters showed glimpses of attempting 1-touch football in their previous game, and if things click just right in the nick of time, Adrian would end up being the nightmare for this Delhi defense, and it’s Andrei’s job to ensure that such passes won’t go through him to avoid what happened in the last game for Delhi.
Noah Sadaoui vs Hangshing Gogou: Noah Sadaoui, even though he didn’t start the last game, would be one of the picks Catala could use in their game against Delhi. Delhi’s highline football makes Noah a suitable counter-attacking threat, and could spell disaster for Delhi if left free to run. SC Delhi’s new addition, Hangshing Gogou, one of the standout right-backs in the I-League last season, will be facing the Moroccan in a battle of life or death, as even a single goal counts in the race for qualification.
Gogou will need to put in a high-intensity shift in assistance with Mohammed Rafi, in order to block the Moroccan from having a sight at goal, as the number 7 for the Blasters is known to hit deadly strikes from both inside the box and out, resulting in some crucial goals for his side. All these factors make this another interesting battle to look at, whose outcome is as crucial, if not more, than the previous two mentioned.
Predicted Lineups:
Kerala Blasters (4-2-3-1)
Nora; Naocha, Bikash, Juan, Amey; Vibin, Lagator; Noah, Luna, Korou; Koldo
Sporting Club Delhi (5-3-2)
Karanjit; Sanatomba, Saji, Rafael, Rafi, Gogou; Ayush, Andrei, Issac; Augustine, Devendra
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