The Malabarians kicked off their 2023 Durand Cup campaign with a victory over Indian Air force in the mid-week, thanks to two unanswered goals from Kerala-born players K. Sourav and Sreekuttan VS.
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Kerala Blasters FC will kickoff its 2023-24 campaign with a Kerala derby, going up against Gokulam Kerala in a Group C fixture of the Duran Cup at Mohun Bagan Ground in Kolkata on Sunday. KBFC are heading into the match on the back of a comfortable 5-0 victory over Kovalam FC in a pre-season friendly in Kochi, while the Malabarians have already started this tournament, defeating Indian Air Force 2-0 in their curtain raiser on Wednesday. Both these sides from ‘God’s own Country’ had a mixed campaign last term, with the Yellow Army qualifying for the playoffs of the Indian Super league following a fifth place finish in the table, while GKFC claimed third spot in the 2022-23 I-League.
We begin our #DurandCup campaign against Gokulam Kerala FC today! 🤜🤛#KBFCGKFC #KBFC #KeralaBlasters pic.twitter.com/mLNqh21buW
— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) August 13, 2023
Kerala Blasters, who have one of the biggest fan bases in the continent, will look to end their wait for a silverware after fielding a first string squad for the Durand Cup. The Tuskers have qualified for the knockout stages of the Indian Super League in back-to-back seasons for the first time and they certainly have a well balanced team that is capable of going all the way forward in the 132nd edition of the Durand Cup. Ivan Vukomanovic has managed to built a side that is hard to beat, while the addition of defenders Pritam Kotal, Prabir Das and Naocha Singh this summer, has definitely made them one of the best defensive units on paper in the country. Promising Indian striker Ishan Pandita has been the most recent signing by KBFC, and the 25-year-old Indian international would be hoping to form a lethal strike partnership with Dimitrios Diamantakos.
Gokulam Kerala, on the other hand, had won the Duran Cup back in 2019 and have managed to build the reputation of being one of the most consistent performers in the I-League in the last couple of years, having won back-to-back league titles in 2020-21 and 2021-22, before finishing third in the standings last season. The Malabarians kicked off their 2023 Durand Cup campaign with a victory over Indian Air force in the mid-week, thanks to two unanswered goals from Kerala-born players K. Sourav and Sreekuttan VS. As it was visible in the previous game, Domingo Oramas’s side rely on the home grown talent, who form the core of the team, while the Spaniards Alex Sanchez and Nili Perdomo blend vey well with their possession based style of play. GKFC will be looking to reclaim the league trophy this time around, thereby earning promotion to the ISL.
Gokulam Kerala probable starting lineup: Tmawia, Saurabh, Vikas, Rahul Raju, Nili Perdomo, Sourav, Alex Sanchez, Aminou Bouba, Basit, Noufal, Akhil P.
Kerala Blasters probable starting lineup: Sachin, Sandeep, Pritam, Leskovic, Naocha, Rahul, Jeakson, Vipin, Bryce, Luna, Diamantakos
Gokulam Kerala
| Opponents | Score |
| Indian Air Force | 2-0 (W) |
| Jamshedpur | 3-2 (L) |
| Goa | 0-1 (L) |
| Mohun bagan | 5-1 (L) |
| Mohammedan | 5-2 (W) |
Kerala Blasters
| Opponents | Score |
| Bengaluru FC | 1-1 (D) |
| Sreenidi Deccan | 2-0 (L) |
| Punjab | 3-1 (W) |
| Bengaluru FC | 1-0 (L) |
| Hyderabad | 0-1 (L) |
The Durand Cup fixture between Gokulam Kerala and Kerala blasters will take place at Mohun Bagan Ground on Sunday at 2:30 PM IST.
| Gokulam Kerala vs Kerala Blasters | Key Details |
| Date | August 13 |
| Venue | Mohun Bagan Ground |
| Kickoff time in India | 2:30 pm |
Football fans in India can catch the live action via Sony Sports network.
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