Kerala Blasters FC: Defender Harmanjot Singh Khabra is an unsung hero of the Yellow Army

The 34-year-old defender scored the lone goal for the Kochi-based side in the 2-1 defeat against Odisha FC in an ISL match on Sunday.

File photo of Kerala Blasters FC defender Harmanjot Singh Khabra; Credit: Twitter/@KeralaBlasters
By Sreejith C R | Oct 25, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Experienced defender Harmanjot Singh Khabra is an unsung hero in the Kerala Blasters FC lineup. The 34-year-old right-back, who joined the Kochi-based club from Bengaluru FC last season, played a pivotal role in the club’s run to the final of the 2021-22 Indian super League (ISL) season and continues to deliver solid performances on a consistent basis. The versatile footballer scored the lone goal for the Yellow Army in the 2-1 defeat against Odisha FC on Sunday. It was the Punjab-born footballer’s second ISL-goal ever. He has been one of the most successful players in the ISL, having won the title twice with two different teams- Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC. 

Khabra spent five quality seasons with BFC that helped him turn into a hardworking defender, who is not afraid to put his body on the line and doesn’t shy away from one-on-one duels. He has been one of the most consistent performances in the league in the last couple of seasons. In  a whopping 111 ISL appearances, Khabra has recorded two goals and 13 assists. Apart from being a solid defender, his ability to deliver quality crosses and get into goal-scoring positions during set piece situations makes him an asset for the team.

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In the last match against Odisha, Khabra scored off a well-worked corner kick. Adrian Luna played the ball short to Puitea, before receiving it back and delivered an inch-perfect diagonal ball for Khabra at the far post. The defender timed his run to perfection to get in behind the defender and found the back of the net with a towering header. Last season, he had scored a similar goal against the same opposition. Meanwhile, in the opening game of the season against East Bengal, Blasters broke the deadlock courtesy of a sensational assist from Khabra, eighteen minutes from time.

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The veteran footballer delivered an inch-perfect long ball from the half-way line for Luna to volley home past Kamaljit Singh from inside the box. With one goal and an assist already to his name, the two-time ISL winner has already set the season Ablaze. Last term, Khabra played 19 games for Blasters and recorded an impressive 63 tackles, 35 interceptions, 31 tackles and 17 blocks. His last-ditch tackles often proved pivotal for the club. Although Blasters haven’t made a great start to the new campaign, having lost two of their opening three games, Khabra has been one of the few bright spots in the team.





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