Bhubaneswar has not been a happy hunting ground for Kerala Blasters. It was there is April that the Blasters saw their semifinal hopes dashed with a pair of late goals. It was there again they tasted defeats in the league phase over two seasons.
"..it (last season) is in the mind of everyone. We have a history of not beating them here (Bhubaneswar). Hopefully, we can rewrite that... this is a new season and a new chapter," said Vibin Mohanan.
The Blasters' midfielder played 120 minutes in the knockout fixture in April, making almost twice as many passes as any of his teammates. Still only 21, but Vibin's influence has only grown under Mikael Stahre. "He has had a huge impact on the team by bringing quality on the ball and in passes, and quality in general," Stahre lavished praises on his young midfield metronome, who is expected to play a vital role, again, as the Blasters take on Odisha in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
The Blasters' recent history of defeats in Bhubaneswar doesn't bother Stahre, as he only joined them this term. All that matters to the Swede is how his side performed in their most recent outing, in Guwahati, where they were unlucky to finish with a draw against NorthEast. A late flurry of chances from the Blasters, including a delightful defence-splitting through ball from Vibin for Aimen, so nearly produced a late winner. "I'm not worried. Right now, we are on the right track. We could not win, but the performance was absolutely good enough," Stahre said at the pre-match press conference.
Just as the Blasters are riding high on the back of a home win and a morale-boosting away draw, Sergio Lobera's Odisha too were energised by their first win of the season last week. Odisha had edged Jamshedpur 2-1 to return to winning ways after a pair of defeats.
"I am very happy because finally, we got three very important points. And also the atmosphere in the ground, in the stadium is amazing. Every time more supporters come here, they are pushing us in difficult moments," Lobera said.
Diego Mauricio and Mourtada Fall, who scored in the win over Jamshedpur will be vital for Odisha again. Vibin will face a firm test in the centre of midfield from Ahmed Jahouh while the Blasters defence would need to be mindful of Hugo Boumous' threat in the final third.
The visitors would be buoyed by the return of captain Adrian Luna, who should step right into the starting XI alongside their leading goalscorer this season, Noah Sadaoui. In Mohammed Aimen, the Blasters have a smart player, who could be a game-changer even off the bench.
The match will kickoff at 7.30 pm and will be telecast live on JioCinema, Sports 18 and Asianet Plus (Malayalam).