ISL 2022, Kerala Blasters vs East Bengal Highlights: Kerala opened their ISL 2022/23 campaign with a 3-1 win. (Photo: ISL)The 2022/23 Indian Super League season will kickstart with the runner ups from the 2021/22 season, Kerala Blasters going up against East Bengal, who finished at the bottom of the table last season.
After two years in a bubble, the top-tier league in Indian football will return to a home-and-away format, with fans expected to throb the stadiums starting from the opener at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
Predicted XI:
Kerala Blasters FC: Prabhsukhan Gill, Jessel Carneiro, Victor Mongil, Sandeep Singh, Harmanjot Khabra, Jeakson Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Bryce Brian Miranda, Dimitrios Diamantakos, Rahul KP, Bidyashagar Singh
East Bengal FC: Kamaljit Singh, Ankit Mukherjee, Ivan Gonzalez, Mohamad Rakip, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Alex Lima, Amarjit Kiyam, Aniket Jadhav, Souvik Chakrabarti, Cleiton Silva, Eliandro
Photo: ISL/Twitter
What a moment this was!
Adrian Luna scoring the first goal of the season and kissing the tattoo of his late daughter Julieta, who passed away in April this year, on his arm.
Peep, Peeeep, PEEEEEEEEEP!
And that is it at the JLN Stadium. Kerala Blasters have started off their season with a 3-1 win. All four goals coming in the second half and quite the goals with excellent rewatch value. East Bengal would feel they gave away the plot after that first goal, even though the visitors put one back.
As if a solo run goal wasn't enough, Ivan Volodymyrovich Kalyuzhnyi scores a ridiculous long yarder to make it 3-1 for Kerala.
KBFC 3-1 EBFC
Screengrab: Hotstar
Goal off a corner for East Bengal and this match is far from over. Alex Monteiro de Lima scores a volley after Kerala make the initial save from the corner.
KBFC 2-1 EBFC
Ivan Volodymyrovich Kalyuzhnyi with an absolutely stunning solo run from near the centre line, beats a host of East Bengal shirts, puts the ball behind the net for his first ISL goal. Wow. WOW.
KBFC 2-0 EBFC
As Stephen Constantine prepares multiple substitutes near touchline, with close to 10 minutes of regulation time left in the match, can East Bengal find an attacking inspiration to level it. They have been by far the more defensive, or forced to defend side in this match so far. As of now, they need just the one goal to take a point home from tonight.
KBFC 1-0 EBFC
LUNAAAAAA!
The number 20 opens the scoring for Kerala and ISL 2022/23 season. Perfection of a long ball into the penalty box and the Uruguayan puts that left foot of his to strike the ball and rattle the net.
KBFC 1-0 EBFC
Ankit Mukherjee with a kick to Luna from behind and the Uruguayan goes down. Looks in some pain. Referee shows a second yellow inside two minutes.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Chungnunga literally grapples Dimitriakos down from behind and earns a yellow.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Yet another important save from Kamaljit, who has been the best player, by far, for East Bengal so far. Cross from Giannou, Luna finds the target but Kamlajit won't let it through.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
The numbers game comes into play again. Kerala have behaved like the home team, swarming their numbers up front for attack and here. A set of attacks leading to a deflection falling in for Giannou right in front of the goal but his volley is dealt with by Kamaljit Singh.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
A tackle near the centre line earns East Bengal possession and an opening on the left. Suhair beats his marker but his touch for the cross isn't the most perfect and takes the ball out for a goal kick.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Kerala have been able to find spaces, acres of them at times, in the East Bengal defence but haven't been able to provide a finishing touch to take the lead. The pep talk at halftime is likely to be around the same. Expect more pressure, more numbers thrown up front from the yellow army as we get underway with the second half at the JLN stadium.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
And that is it for the first half at the JLN Stadium. Kerala by far the better team in the first half. Better in possession (62-38) and better in terms of the Expected Goals rate (0.36-0.08). East Bengal will definitely take that score at half time. First goal of the season yet to come.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
East Bengal are feeling the heat!
Luna's free kick from outside the box barely moves but goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh is unable to hold it or parry it clean, almost puts it into his own goal. Luckily for the team in white, only a corner conceded.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
No surprises as to why Kerala Blaster have had more chances of the two teams and why East Bengal haven't been able to push the home side apart from the odd set piece opening. Set up in a 4-4-2 formation, East Bengal's transition to attack is a conservative one, with three defenders inside their own box and a pivot guarding any openings in the middle. Kerala Blasters however, have still managed to find openings.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Screengrab: Hotstar
First match of the season and it didn't take long for the referee to have a first big altercation to deal with. Ivan's tackle on Giannou starts it but almost very player on the pitch stepped in within seconds. Referee separates the two sets of players and passes a verbal warning. No bookings.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Screengrab: Hotstar
Another move that originates on the left. Jessel opens room for Sahal on to walk into the box, the latter cuts inside and sets up Puitea who shoots one just wide of the right side post.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Good bit of stat from the broadcast team. The two teams in action today have the youngest and the oldest squad in terms of average age this season.
Kerala Blasters: 24.79
East Bengal: 26.67
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
After initial couple of counters on the left channel, East Bengal have loaded that side with more defenders, opening an opportunity for the hosts on the right. Three attempts come off the cross with the last one from Jessel shot way over.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Kerala on the counter, with the roar of the Majapada army in the background, down that left hand side. Jessel with the perfect cross to set Giannou in front of goal but he shoots it over.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Lima wins possession takes a shot from outside the box, but jeez, that was hit with some venom. Gill parries it away.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
A corner on the left hand side leads to a narrow opening for Kerala Blasters FC but Leskovic heads it just wide of the far post.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
East Bengal have found space on the right channel early on but no big worries for the home side as the cross in directly in Gill's gloves. Another corner is won on the right side but nothing follows.
KBFC 0-0 EBFC
Here we go then. Kerala Blasters get us underway kicking from left to right and immediately give away a throw in followed by immediately winning a free kick. The hosts in 4-3-3 formation, whilst East Bengal are shaped up with two forwards leading the 4-4-2 lineup.
Ivan Vukomanovic: "There will no easy opponents, there will be no easy points for us this season, and we will have to prove that again on the pitch."
Stephen Constantine: "It will be a tough game, but we have come here and we will fight. Hopefully we can get something (from this game)."
The green of the pitch, the yellow in stands. What scenary at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for the 2022/23 ISL season opener.
Screengrab: Hotstar
Screengrab: Hotstar
Life hits a pause, little ‘Ronaldo’ and ‘Messi’ accompany their grandfather to the stadium, and the beautiful game goes on long after the match ends. Before the final that Kerala won against West Bengal in penalties, after it ended 1-1 in regulation time, the two teams had met in a league game. It was a game that Kerala had 2-0. Sandip G was there to watch the game from the bleachers.
Read more: What happens when Santosh Trophy comes to a football-crazed Malappuram in Kerala?
There is no established order in the ISL, which is into its ninth season.
The last four seasons have had four different teams who topped the league phase – Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru. The top four, too, have had a good mix, with nine different teams finishing among the playoff spots. Unpredictability has been the league’s norm, partly also because of the restrictions under which the last two seasons were played.
After two years in a bubble, the ISL will return to a home-and-away format, with fans expected to throb the stadiums. The scenes in Kerala tell the story – thousands in yellow flocking towards the stadium on the eve of Kerala Blasters’ season opener on Friday against East Bengal.
Read more: ISL season preview: A stepping stone and a pit stop
It's that time of the year, finally!
The ninth season of the Indian Super League 2022/23 season kicks off at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi with the hosts Kerala Blasters taking on East Bengal FC in the opener. After two seasons of matches behind closed doors, the fans return to the stands. So does the home and away format. An exciting season, an exciting opener coming up. Stay with us for all the live updates.