Kozhikode: Hero I-League will return to Kerala after almost five years as Gokulam Kerala FC (GKFC) is all set to take on Chennai City FC (CCFC) at the JLN Stadium here on Monday.
Both the teams will face each other after losing their opening matches.
Gokulam Kerala FC lost to Shillong Lajong FC in a gritty match, 0-1, while Indian Arrows, the All India Football Federation (AIFF)’s development team, humiliated a sorry Chennai City FC, 3-0.
However, the home side is upbeat about their chances and confidence runs high among the players.
“This is our first home match. It is always great to play here. I was with the Viva Kerala team, the previous I-League club from Kerala, and a return to the venue is an unforgettable experience,” said Bino George, the coach of the GKFC.
Meanwhile, GKFC’s Nigerian defender Chigozie would miss the match as he has injured his hamstring in the first match.
“We need to be more compact in defence and midfield. The unavailability of Chigozie is a loss but not a major concern as we have players to replace him,” he added.
However, Chennai City FC is trying to recoup from a humiliating loss against Indian Arrows. The club from Tamil Nadu needs to fix its porous defence that let three goals in the opener.
The club coach admitted that the players are lacking experience in the top flight. “Only three players have played top-tier football in the team. It will be a hard match against Gokulam at their home. We will try our best to not lose the match and save at least a point from the away game,” said Soundrarajan, the coach of CCFC.
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 08:00 PM and it will be telecast live on Star Sports 2, Star Sports HD 2 and streamed live on Hotstar and Jio TV.
ANI