ISL: Punjab FC look to begin Dilmperis era with win against Kerala Blasters

Kochi, Sep 14 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Punjab FC (PFC) will start their 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season in a mouth-watering clash against Kerala Blasters on Sunday which will be played here at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. The club will take the field under the tutelage of new head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis and will look to emulate their stunning 3-1 victory over the home side last year and start the season with a win. Both teams met in the Durand Cup earlier in the season in the group stages and played out an exciting 1-1 draw in Kolkata with Luka Majcen and Mohammed Aimen scoring the goals. Kerala Blasters are also with a new head coach Mikael Stahre at the helm and will also look to have an ideal start to the league season in front of their passionate fan base. Speaking ahead of his first game in the ISL, PFC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis addressed the changes in the club from last season, “Many things have changed in the club from our debut season last year. We have a new coaching staff, new foreign and Indian players in our squad and that is the biggest difference from last season. This season we will try to better the performance from last year and qualify for the playoffs.” Luka Majcen is the only foreign player who has been retained from last season and he will be joined by Ivan Novoselec, Mushaga Bakenga, Ezequiel Vidal, Asmir Suljic and Filip Mrzljak as the new foreign additions to the squad. Indian international Vinit Rai is the most prominent Indian signing and will be key for the Shers in the midfield. “It is the beginning of the season and tomorrow’s match will be different from the one we played in the Durand Cup against Kerala Blasters for plenty of reasons. We had a very good and long pre-season and the players have trained well. We need to start the season well and I hope that tomorrow will be a great game and we come away with the three points,” Dilmperis added. PFC midfielder Nikhil Prabhu during the pre – match press conference said, “We have started very well this season with the Durand Cup. We are working very hard this season and we have a different plan for this season, keeping the ball more and taking the upper hand in the game. We have trained well to adapt to this method of playing and will take the games one by one and slowly reach our goals by the end of the season.” Kerala Blasters will be led by their talismanic skipper, Adrian Luna along with Kwame Peprah, Noah Sadaoui and Jesus Jimenez, making them a very attack heavy side who will be supported by the young and talented midfield consisting of Vibin Mohanan, Danish Farooq, Freddy Lallawmawma and Mohammed Azh. —