Blasters face JFC in search of first win

Kochi: After a low-intensity season opener, Rene Meulensteen has put his Kerala Blasters on high alert as they welcome former boss Steve Coppell and his regimented Jamshedpur FC for round two here on Friday.

“We have to use a high level of energy and more than anything a high level of quality,” said Kerala head coach Meulensteen, calling for composure from his acclaimed attacking unit that failed to show up in the goalless draw against ATK last Friday.

Jamshedpur’s resolute defending, playing with ten men for the final quarter in Guwahati after Andre Bikey’s red card, earned them a point against NorthEast United and Meulensteen has urged his players to maximise their potential.

Even as Dimitar Berbatov and Iain Hume failed to strike a combo against ATK, Meulensteen is likely to continue the partnership.

“It is important that we stay calm and not get distracted,” said the Kerala head coach.

While Meulensteen is wary of Coppell’s “very well organised, hard-working and hard to break down” team that he expects to have a “fairly direct style of play”, he’s likely to field an unchanged side.

Coppell, on the other hand, was thankful to the Kerala supporters for giving him “happy memories” but is determined to make the most of their spell of successive away games.