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ISL 2022-23: Jamshedpur FC in need of desperate turnaround as they gear up for high-flying Kerala Blasters

Jamshedpur FC will be eager to pocket maximum points in the next game, but standing in their way will be Kerala Blasters, who will be eyeing their fourth successive victory this season in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Sunday.

football ISL 2022-23: Jamshedpur FC in need of desperate turnaround as they gear up for high-flying Kerala Blasters snt
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First Published Dec 4, 2022, 8:00 AM IST

Jamshedpur FC will be eager to earn the most points possible in the upcoming match, but Kerala Blasters will be standing in their way as they look for their fourth straight victory in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 on Sunday at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur. The Red Miners have gone four games without collecting a single point, which is their worst Hero ISL run ever.

Jamshedpur FC, currently ranked tenth, have only won one game in their last seven games. Their lone victory was over Northeast United FC, the team in the lower division. The Red Miners have zero points after conceding ten goals and scoring only two in their last four games.

Also read: ISL 2022-23: Odisha FC's Gombau pleased to keep 100% home win record intact after beating NorthEast United FC

In the previous game, Jamshedpur FC fell behind to East Bengal FC after just two minutes and lost 3-1. Even though injuries may have hampered the club's operations, head coach Aidy Boothroyd said following the match that he does not want to blame the defeat solely on his team's performance and instead wants to focus on finding ways to make it better.

Key midfielders Wellington Priori and Germanpreet Singh were absent for Boothroyd in the previous match. With a goal against the Blasters, Daniel Chukwu would tie for the most goals scored by a Jamshedpur FC player in the ISL. He was healthy enough to start and is expected to do so.

"Consistency is key. Getting rid of poor decision-making at key moments is another. The team needs to be mixed up a little bit, and we need to get back on track," said Boothroyd. "We are scoring goals, but we need to keep clean sheets because that is going to be very important for us throughout the season," he added.

football ISL 2022-23: Jamshedpur FC in need of desperate turnaround as they gear up for high-flying Kerala Blasters snt

After losing three straight games, Kerala Blasters FC recovered with three straight victories, recording two clean sheets along the way, and building up the ideal momentum for a challenging trip to the Furnace. The Blasters will be well-rested after their long break last week and will be aiming to repeat their semi-final victory over the Red Miners from the previous year.

Kerala Blasters FC defeated Hyderabad FC at home thanks to the game's lone goal from Dimitrios Diamantakos. The Greek striker was hurt shortly after that goal but has now fully recovered thanks to Vukomanovic's fully healthy squad.

Also read: ISL 2022-23: Odisha FC climbs to second place after handing NorthEast United 8th straight loss

"What makes this league interesting is the fact that any team can beat any other team. Our next opponents are very strong. Recent form is not a factor because our three victories came after three successive defeats," said Vukomanovic. "We know both teams will be motivated to fight for points. We struggled against them last season in the league and semi-finals, and I expect nothing different from the next game," he added.

The two sides have faced each other 12 times. Seven of these encounters have ended in a stalemate. The Red Miners have won three, while the Blasters have won just twice. The Blasters have never won at the Furnace.

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