Kerala Blasters vs NorthEast United
A match that has been awaited by many in the Indian Super League (ISL) is Kerala Blasters vs NorthEast United. The match had a lot of action packed within it, paired with a lot of love and excitement with bold players on both sides of the field. India’s super league witnessed a fantastic display of quality football. It was never going to be simple for either side to make it without difficulty through the game.
The Blasters have retained their status as one of the strongest teams in the ISL, aided by their fans and their skillful rough play. The Flaming Yellow Army: Kerala Blasters The Blasters are coached by Iván Vukomanović and since the beginning of the season, they have looked like a team that will make the playoffs and become a serious contender for the championship. The hard work on the field has resulted in the Blasters becoming one of the most powerful teams in the league.
The Blasters were spearheaded in attack by the Spanish striker Alvaro Vázquez. His finishing and skills inside the box were so devastatating that he could trouble any defense. The season’s elite performers are Alvaro and his dire goal scoring physicality and composure. His combination with Vincy Barretto and Sahal Abdul Samad were very important in the attacking tactics of Kerala as he’s a pace behind the defense type of player. The deft and fast passing of Barretto along with the creative Sahal in central region have been the foundation of Kerala’s attacking fluidity.
Marko Leskovic was also the most important player in the Kerala Blasters’ defense as he was also the most commanding one. He was a key defender for the Blasters and because of this his central defense prowess, Kerala were well guarded for the entire match. Leskovic was very solid and together with Jessel Carneiro, who was the left back, they formed a very unbreakable defensive pairing.
United in the Northeast: The Will of the Highlanders
The Highlanders aka North East United entered the game looking to assert their prowess. In spite of having some tough seasons in the past, they have always showed the great propensity to recover and compete with the best teams in the league. Northeast squad, coached under Marco Balbul, consisted of old and young players and had made some significant transfers during the window as well.
As for North East United, the most notable was undoubtedly the Jamaican forward, Deshorn Brown. Brown is arguably the most lethal attacker in the ISL because of his speed, strength, and exceptional finishing. The striker served as the focal point of their offense due to his link up play with teammates such as Federico Gallego and Lalengmawia Apuia, along with his hold up play. Moreover, Brown’s versatility and physicality was heavily demanded up front by NorthEast United, which put constant pressure on the Kerala’s defense.
NorthEast’s offensive efforts were guided by the Uruguayan playmaker Federico Gallegos, who, in addition to his pinpoint passing, tremendous vision, and pace control, was a key cog in their midfield machine. The increased midfield depth that NorthEast United received from Gallegos’ combinations with young Indian players like Apuia and Khassa Camara allowed them increased control and better movements during the possession. A promising Indian youth footballer Apuia helped to block almost all of the attempts by the Kerala side and assisted his compatriots to score goals instead.
The defense of NorthEast was organized and led by the Belgian centerback Benjamin Lambot. For him to challenge the attacking skills of the other side, which was the case with the Kerala side, he needed to be cool and collected as well as strong in the air. The right side of North East’s defensive formations, which also included Ashutosh Mehta in the right back, looked good and seemed ready for the onlsaught of the Kerala Blasters.
An Exciting Beginning: The Clash Starts
Attacking football was flaunted by both sides at the beginning of the game. As Blasters lost possession of the ball, Jessel Carneiro made overlapping runs down the left side of the pitch, which provided teh Blasters with the necessary width and assistance to quickly win the ball back. With midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad trying to stretch the Blasters’ defenders, the team looked dangerous.
Nonetheless, it was clear that NorthEast United wasn’t going to just roll over and take it. They wreaked havoc on the pitch with Deshorn Brown stretching the speed limits to get behind the Kerala defense putting Alvaro Vázquez and other Blasters defenders to the test. Everything changed in the 22nd minute of the match when Khassa Camara intercepted the ball in the middle of the field and quickly passed to Brown. His clinical finish gave the Highlanders crucial advantage while NorthEast fans went into ecstasy.
On the other hand, the Kerala Blasters had to regroup immediately and to their surprise, it was working. The Blasters kept their relentless pressing attack which made things difficult for the NorthEast United defense and Alvaro Vázquez was able to build up an effective partnership with Vincy Barretto. One of the highlights in the match was in the 38th minute when Sahal Abdul Samad was able to collect the ball in midfield and delivered an amazing pass to Alvaro Vázquez allowing him to equalize without wasting any time. That last minute goal allowed his team to walk in the half time with the score at 1-1.
Part Two: Unpredictability and Excitement
Vincy Barretto’s ongoing play was far too much for the Northeast United defense, which allowed the Kerala Blasters to capitalize on even the slightest opportunity. It also enabled them to keep more possession of the ball and score more goals as Benjamin Lambot was strong enough to hold Alvaro Vasquez, which allowed the Highlanders to focus more on their defensive strategy.
As time ticked down, tensions were on the rise for both teams as they were starting to become frantic. The first half of the match was the most intense and gave the fans quite the scare as Federico Gallego aimed North East United’s side towards an opportunity and Kerala Blasters took a wide shot. Royale, the Blaster’s goalkeeper, stopped Brown from scoring during the final minute of the game and, miraculously, prevented the game-winning goal from being scored.
Another Split Match: Determination From Both Sides
It is reasonable for the match to end as a draw as there was a lack of goals on both sides, considering the level of defense demonstrated on both teams. The offensive side from the Kerala Blasters was superior however the Northeast team was very effective when trying to fend off any attacks and were always ready to counterattack. The match showed great displays of skill, determination, and emotion on both sides.
Concluding Remarks: A Memorable Standoff
The fixture involving NorthEast United vs. Kerala Blasters was filled with astonishing displays of football brilliance. Despite NorthEast United flirting with defensive resoluteness and tactical discipline, there is something to admire with the relative attacking performance from Kerala Blasters. While the score suggests that the two may not have competed well against each other, this match will surely fuel their rivalry in the upcoming seasons of the ISL.
Want to see more blogs like this? Read about Champions Trophy India Squad 2025 here.
