Kochi (Kerala) [India], September 15 (ANI): In an inspiring and heartwarming gesture following the devastating landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, 24 young survivors from Wayanad are set to experience an unforgettable moment. These children will witness the Indian Super League (ISL) showdown between Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) and Punjab FC (PFC) live on Sunday.

This unique opportunity is part of an initiative called “Orumichonam,” through which these children will be honored as special guests at the Kerala Blasters vs. Punjab FC match in Kochi. These children, aged between 8 and 12, will have the extraordinary privilege of walking hand-in-hand with the players as they enter the pitch at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. This gesture aims to create a memorable experience that goes beyond just watching the game.

The children attending this event are students from Vellarmala GVHSS, Mundakkai LP School, and Meppadi WMO School. Many of them have faced immense hardships, losing family members and homes in the recent landslides. Currently living in temporary government rehabilitation housing, this initiative aims to bring joy and positivity into their lives as they recover from the trauma of the disaster.

The upcoming fixture marks the third encounter between Kerala Blasters FC and Punjab FC, with each team having secured one win in their previous meetings. Kerala Blasters FC, backed by their passionate fan base, are aiming to extend their streak of opening-game victories to three consecutive seasons.

On the other hand, Punjab FC, who had an impressive debut ISL campaign last season with a notable 4-1 victory over East Bengal FC, are looking to carry that momentum into the new season. A win against Kerala Blasters FC would be historic for Punjab FC, marking their first-ever back-to-back wins in ISL history and setting a strong foundation for the season ahead.

Kerala Blasters’ new Swedish head coach, Mikael Stahre, brings a wealth of experience from guiding top teams across Europe and Asia. “They are a very eager group, always ready to put in maximum effort. We have a good mixture of youth and experience, along with foreign players. But all of them have a huge drive; they want to improve themselves and achieve something for this club,” Stahre shared with ISL.

Similarly, Punjab FC has appointed a new Greek coach, Panagiotis Dilmperis, marking his first assignment in Asia. Despite being new to the continent, Dilmperis feels excited about his role in India. He emphasized how Punjab FC has been making quality strides forward over the past few years under the direction of Nikolaos Topoliatis.

“Punjab FC are moving forward every year. They are taking quality steps forward and everyone at the club, including the director, is focused on quality more than quantity. This season is a great challenge for me because we need to make one step better than last season. The previous season was also good, especially in the second half,” Dilmperis said as quoted by ISL.

For Kerala Blasters FC, Adrian Luna remains a key player. The Uruguayan has a knack for scoring goals and has already netted 13 goals for the Blasters. He is just two strikes away from becoming the club’s joint second-highest scorer in the ISL alongside Nigeria’s Bartholomew Ogbeche (15). Only Dimitrios Diamantakos (23) has scored more goals for the club, though Diamantakos has since left KBFC after being the top scorer of last season’s ISL.

In Punjab FC’s camp, all eyes will be on Slovenia’s Luka Majcen, who demonstrated his prowess last season in ISL by scoring eight goals. He finished as Punjab FC’s joint-highest scorer alongside Colombia’s Wilmar Jordan Gil. Beyond his goal-scoring abilities, Majcen’s experience and leadership skills make him an invaluable asset to the team.