Kochi (Kerala) [India], September 14 (ANI): Kerala Blasters FC is set to begin their Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season with an exciting clash against Punjab FC. The much-anticipated match will take place at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 pm IST. Both teams are stepping into a new chapter under the guidance of newly appointed head coaches, each determined to lead their squads to unprecedented success in the upcoming season.

This face-off will be the third meeting between Kerala Blasters FC and Punjab FC, with both teams having secured a win in their previous encounters. Kerala Blasters FC, renowned for their fervent and loyal fan base, are keen to maintain their perfect record of winning opening games for a third consecutive season. The stadium is expected to be a cauldron of enthusiasm, with fans eagerly backing their team to victory.

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Punjab FC enters this season with the momentum of their impressive inaugural ISL campaign, which concluded with a resounding 4-1 triumph over East Bengal FC. The team aims to continue this positive trajectory and achieve their first-ever consecutive wins in ISL history. A victory against Kerala Blasters would not only mark a significant milestone but also lay a strong foundation for the rest of the season.

Leading Kerala Blasters FC is Mikael Stahre, a coach with an illustrious track record of managing top-tier teams across Europe and Asia before arriving in India. Stahre brings a wealth of experience and a strategic mindset to the team.

“They are a very eager group, always ready to put in maximum effort. We have a good mixture of youth and experience and also foreign players. But all of them have a huge drive, they want to improve themselves, and they want to achieve something for this club,” Stahre shared enthusiastically, as quoted by ISL.

Punjab FC has also introduced a new head coach, Panagiotis Dilmperis, who is embarking on his first coaching assignment in Asia. The 49-year-old is thrilled about the opportunity and has praised the club’s continuous progress, emphasizing a focus on quality over quantity.

“Punjab FC are moving forward every year. They are taking quality steps forward and everyone at the club including the director (Nikolaos Topoliatis) is focused on quality more than quantity. This is a great challenge for me because for this season we have to do one step better than last season. The previous season was also good, especially in the second half,” Dilmperis expressed confidently.

As these two teams prepare to lock horns, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how these new strategic directions will unfold on the field. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter, setting the tone for what is expected to be an electrifying ISL season.