Kerala Blasters’ road to the ISL season 3 Final has been a rocky one.
Kerala Blasters lost to ATK in the final of the first season of ISL.
The third season of the Indian Super League (ISL) is coming to an end and here we are about to witness a repeat of the first edition final again – it is Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) vs Kerala Blasters! The final is being played at the home ground of Kerala Blasters and 50,000 fans will be right behind their home side, who are seeking revenge against the ATK.
In 2013, Mohammad Rafique, who hails from Kerala, scored the winner in the dying minutes of the final of ISL first season in Mumbai. It was heartbreaking for the Men in Yellow. It took Kerala Blasters two years to recover from that defeat and reach the final of ISL yet again.
Guess what, Rafique now plays for Kerala Blasters and he scored the winning penalty in the shootout of the second semi-final against the Delhi Dynamos few days ago.
Blasters’ road to final has been a rocky one. They were reeling at the bottom of the points table in the first quarter of the ISL season 3. Then Steve Coppell’s side put themselves together and notched up five consecutive victories at their home ground and here they are in the final again, against a familiar opponent.
ATK on the other hand will start as the favourites in the final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday. Kerala Blasters will be happy to start as the underdogs at their own fortress.
Can Kerala Blasters stop ATK from becoming the only side from winning the ISL trophy twice in a span of three years?