Raring to go: Host Calicut, the highest-scoring team in the league, will be confident coming into the tie.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
It is only apt that the two teams that finished atop the league table should contest the final of the inaugural Super League Kerala. The expectations are high about Sunday night’s clash at the Corporation Stadium between host Calicut FC and Forca Kochi.
When the two sides met in the league phase, Calicut FC won a match (1-0) while the other was drawn (1-1). Calicut is also the league’s highest-scoring team, having pumped in 20 goals on its way to the summit clash.
But the league’s top-scorer is a Kochi striker though – Dori, the Brazilian striker who has netted five. There are two Calicut players with four goals apiece (Kervens Belfort and Gani Nigam).
Calicut coach Ian Gillan said his team wasn’t going to underestimate Forca. “Their defensive record speaks for itself, and we will need to be smart in breaking them down,” he said. “We have worked on our offensive movements, transitions, and creating spaces to exploit, and we’ll look to put that into action from the first whistle.”
His counterpart Mario Lemos said the final could be a tactical battle. “Our team has worked hard to refine both our defensive organisation and our attacking patterns,” he said.
“We will look to neutralise Calicut’s attacking threats while exploiting the spaces that will open up as the match progresses. It is about finding that perfect balance between defence and attack, and we are confident we can do that against a quality side like Calicut.”
The kick-off is at 8 p.m.
Published – November 09, 2024 07:36 pm IST