Gerard Nus’s team surprised Mumbai City FC in their opening match and many were impressed by their defensive stamina. Against a Kerala side that failed to get a single shot on goal in their loss to ATK Mohun Bagan on the opening day of ISL-7, Nus will back his defenders to continue his winning streak.
He will also be encouraged by the fact that NEUFC are undefeated in their last four games against Kerala. Regardless, Nus expects a tough match against Kerala. “The Kerala Blasters have one of the best teams in the ISL. It’s a tough team to play against. They are good at setup, organization and set pieces. They can create opportunities in many ways. It will be a tough game.” , said. “They didn’t deserve to lose. They are going to play good football again.”
Kerala coach Kibu Vicuna knows how strong his opponents are and has no illusions. “They played a very good game against Mumbai City and they are a very good team. They are sure to be a strong team and a very tough challenge for us,” he said.
Kerala and NEUFC had two of the worst defensive records in the league last year, only achieving three clean sheets apiece. While the latter appears to have moved on from there and strengthened its bottom line, the same old trouble haunts Kerala. In their first game against ATKMB, the goal that cost them the game came from a defensive error.
But Vicuña says that things will get better with time and that his Kerala side is essentially a work in progress. “It takes time and we are in the process. I think that with time, we will be better, we will play better. We have a lot of new players, both Indians and foreigners. So it will take time to create our identity as a soccer team,” he said. .
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