The return of Super Sunday sees Jamshedpur host Delhi Dynamos and FC Goa travel to Kerala to face the Blasters in a brace of games that will no doubt prove to be as unpredictable as ever. Jamshedpur and Kerala will have had only four days rest when they play on Sunday whereas their opposition will have had at least a week. Interesting.
Steve Coppell pits his wits against Miguel Portugal in a match will see Jamshedpur go level on points with the playoff places with a win. Delhi need a win to keep their playoff dream alive as well, so both teams will have to throw caution to the wind.
The later of the two matches gives us the first chance to see FC Goa in ten days so they will no doubt be refreshed when they face David James’ Kerala Blasters. Kerala can leapfrog their opponents with three points and that’ll really put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Stat Attack
Jamshedpur finally got a win at home last time around when they beat Kerala Blasters 2-1. Relief.
Delhi Dynamos have scored five goals in their last three games. It took them seven games to score their first five goals. Improvement.
Kerala Blasters have picked up seven points in their last four games. It took them seven games for them to get their first seven points. The David James effect.
FC Goa have only won once in their last four after winning their last three prior to that. Blip.
Earlier this season
Delhi Dynamos 0-1 Jamshedpur
Coppell’s side put in a textbook away performance in Delhi as a goal from Azuka with under half an hour left gave them all three points. Just prior to Azuka’s goal it could have been thought that Jamshedpur had squandered their biggest opportunity as Bikey missed from the penalty spot. Throughout the game, Delhi had over 70% of the ball but it was after the break when the ‘Men of Steel’ really started to play on the counter properly; in the second half they had eleven shots, seven of which were on target so, despite their lack of possession, it’s more than fair to say that Jamshedpur deserved their win.
FC Goa 5-2 Kerala Blasters
A then Rene Meulensteen managed Kerala were blown away by Goa as a spell at the start of the second half saw them demolish the ‘Blasters’. Believe it or not, Kerala actually took the lead through Mark Sifneos with the game only seven minutes old as Meulensteen was probably starting to think he finally had the knack of this managerial lark. Wrong. Two minutes later, Lanzarote levelled and with only eighteen minutes on the clock, Goa had completed the turnaround. However, before halftime, Kerala were back on level terms after the brilliantly named Jackichand equalised after some smart play with Milan. After the break, it was all about Coro as he scored a seven minute-treble to give Goa the three points. Safe to say Kerala will be wanting revenge.
One more thing…
All things considered, if I was a betting man and luckily I am, I’d be backing Jamshedpur to win @ 5/4. House bet! If the Pune one comes in and this one does, we’ll be up to four meaning we are one step closer to building our complex. Alternatively, we could be homeless. Swings and roundabouts.
