Margao, Mar 10 (Football News) A maiden League Shield title already in its grasp, Jamshedpur FC, one of the consistent teams in the tournament, will look to take a step closer to their first Indian Super League (ISL) crown when they face Kerala Blasters FC in the first leg of their semifinal at the PJN Stadium here on Friday.
Making their first appearance in the last-four of the ISL, Jamshedpur FC are in stunning form under head coach Owen Coyle, having won seven consecutive matches.
In the process, Jamshedpur also sealed the top spot and picked up their first League Winners' Shield after beating ATK Mohun Bagan 1-0 in its final league stage game.
Kerala Blasters, on the other hand, are making a semifinal appearance after six years. The Tuskers come into the tie after playing a physically draining 4-4 draw against FC Goa in their last clash, which led them to finish fourth in the league table.
The contests between the two sides have been so evenly fought that six out of 10 matches have ended in draws.
Jamshedpur FC have recorded three wins while Kerala Blasters FC have managed one. Last time when both these team met, JFC came on top by beating Kerala 3-0 in the league stage match.
Coyle's men are unbeaten against the Blasters this season.
Having won their last seven games, the Men of Steel are in red-hot form going into the semifinals, knocking out every team they have faced recently.
For Jamshedpur, Greg Stewart and Ritwik Das will be the key players.
Stewart has already proven why he is one of the best signings in the Hero ISL 2021-22, having scored and assisted 10 times each this season. As far as the stats are concerned, he was involved in almost 50 per cent of the total goals scored by Jamshedpur FC.
Ritwik, the 25-years old Asansol born midfielder, too has been exceptional for JFC in the last few matches. In this season, he has already scored four goals and assisted in one.
On the other hand, Vukomanovic's Blasters have also suffered due to inconsistency.
They have won just two of their last five matches, having also lost once during this period. They ended their league stage campaign on fourth spot with 34 points from 20 matches.
Adrian Luna and Jorge Diaz are the players to watch out for Kerala Blasters.
Luna, a midfielder, has been in superb form throughout the season, sitting at the top of the assists list for Kerala Blasters FC this season and scored five times.
Diaz scored a brace in the last game, and took his tally for the season to eight goals. He has now scored five goals in his last six matches. Against a defensively solid Jamshedpur FC, he will be crucial to the Blasters' chances.
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