Jamshedpur FC, Kerala Blasters face off in crunch tie

Reliance Foundation Development League

Jamshedpur, April 26: Two teams with a lot of flair will look to put the other to the sword when Kerala Blasters FC and Jamshedpur FC cross paths in what promises to be a crunch Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) fourth-round encounter at the Benaulim Ground in Goa on Wednesday.

Kerala are joint-top of the table with Bengaluru FC, having won their first three games. Bengaluru have also racked up three wins, but after Jamshedpur’s thumping 5-1 win over FC Goa the other day, it looks like they will prove to be more than a stern test for high-flying Kerala who seem to have that dash of experience too on their side, with quite a few first-team players in their ranks.

Kerala were not particularly dominant against a dogged Chennaiyin, Givson Singh missing a penalty too. But eventually, it was the brilliant Vincy Barretto who scored the winner, underlining the team’s capability to grind out results even when they are not at their best.

Jamshedpur were rampant in their last outing, not letting Goa get a grip of the game after the initial flurry. The Red Miners have shown they can not only keep the ball but can also be strong when needed to press high and outmuscle the opposition, something Kerala need to be wary of. Ayush Adhikari could be a doubtful starter for Kerala as he was taken off after 57 minutes against Chennaiyin. Kerala have nine points from three outings while Jamshedpur have seven from three matches.