Odisha vs Kerala Blasters is the upcoming match in the Hero ISL 2021. The Kalinga Warriors are hosting The Tuskers at Tilak Maidan Stadium on 12th January. A struggling Odisha FC faces an in-form Kerala Blasters, who are sitting at the top of the table. This is the second time this season the clubs are facing each other with their first match ending with a 2-1 win in Kerala Blaster's favor.

Odisha vs Kerala Blasters: Match Details

Date– 12/01/2022
Time– 7:30 PM
Where to watch– Disney+ Hotstar VIP, Star Sports Network, and JioTV
Venue– Tilak Maidan Stadium, Goa, India

Team News: Odisha vs Kerala Blasters

Odisha FC- Team News

The Kalinga Warriors are going through a rough patch after a series of winless matches. However, in their last match, Odisha FC shocked Mumbai City with their scintillating display; And took the match away with a 4-2 win over the Islanders. Currently sitting at 8th with 4 wins, 4 losses and only 1 draw out of their 9 matches. So it's a must-win game for Odisha FC if they want to secure a place in the top half of the table. 

Kerala Blasters- Team News

On the other hand, the Tuskers are giving their very best this season. With just 1 defeat on an opening day, Kerala Blasters are now having an undefeated streak of 9 matches with 4 wins and 5 draws. In their last match; The Tuskers managed to scrape a 1-0 win over Hyderabad FC and jumped to the top of the table. Ivan Vukomanovic and his tactical display are providing enough evidence; That the Tuskers have managed to hold their composure and are now a serious contender for the ISL title.

Odisha vs Kerala Blasters: Head-to-Head

Matches- 5
Odisha FC- 1
Kerala Blasters- 1
Draw- 3

OFC vs KBFC: Possible Line-ups

Odisha FC: Kamaljit Singh, V. Mongil, Hector Ramirez, Hendry Antonay, Sahil Panwar, Javi Hernandez, Thoiba Singh, Isaac Chhakchhuak, Aridai Cabrera, Nandhakumar Sekar, Jerry Mawihmingthanga

Kerala Blasters: Prabhsukhan Gill, Enes Sipovic, Marko Leskovic, Carneiro, H. Khabra, S. Abdul Samad, Jeakson Singh, Lalthathanga Khawlhring, Adrian Luna, A. Vazquez, Jorge Diaz

OFC vs KBFC: Dream11 Prediction

In a groundbreaking moment for Indian football, Rahul KP, the dynamic winger of Odisha FC, has been extended a prestigious invitation to represent English Premier League powerhouse West Ham United in the highly anticipated summer edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST), an elite 7 v 7 football competition featuring 48 teams from across the globe.

This is the first time in Indian football history that an Indian player will represent a top-division English Premier League club men’s team. This is a monumental achievement not only for Rahul's burgeoning career and Odisha FC but also for the continued growth and recognition of the state of Odisha and Indian football on the international stage.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 4 to June 9, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. The tournament boasts a diverse international roster, with participating teams and players hailing from countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, and India. The star-studded event will notably feature teams led by legendary footballers such as Luis Nani, Sergio Agüero, and Hope Solo.

Rahul KP will join a distinguished West Ham United squad that includes notable personalities like actor Hero Fiennes Tiffin, former Argentina international Mauro Zárate, and several professional athletes who have represented the United States in the World Indoor Football Cup.

The three group stage games featuring West Ham United will be broadcast live on YouTube channels. Additionally, these matches will be televised live on ESPN.

On a vibrant Saturday evening, April 26, 2025, Mohun Bagan SG’s youthful squad clinched a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kerala Blasters FC in the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 quarter-finals, securing their spot in the semi-finals.

The Mariners, boasting an all-Indian lineup save for Portuguese defender Nuno Reis, showcased their attacking flair with goals from Sahal Abdul Samad in the 22nd minute and Suhail Ahmad Bhat in the 51st. Despite a late strike from Kerala Blasters’ Sreekuttan MS in the 94th minute, Mohun Bagan SG held firm, thanks to a stellar performance by goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem. Bastab Roy’s team now awaits the winner of the FC Goa vs. Punjab FC clash in the semi-final on April 30.

The match kicked off cautiously, with both sides probing without overcommitting. For the first 20 minutes, neither team managed to create clear chances. Then, Mohun Bagan SG sparked the game to life with a moment of brilliance.

Salahudheen Adnan dazzled down the right, weaving past Naocha Singh before delivering a pinpoint cross into the box. Sahal Abdul Samad, with a deft shoulder drop, shook off Ruivah Hormipam and delicately lifted the ball over goalkeeper Sachin Suresh to break the deadlock.

The goal jolted Kerala Blasters into action, and they pushed hard for an equaliser. Noah Sadaoui, fresh off a spectacular long-range goal against East Bengal, tried his luck from distance but sent the ball straight to Dheeraj Singh.

Read Also | India expresses formal interest to host the AFC Asian Cup 2031

The Blasters grew threatening from set pieces, particularly short corners. In the 30th minute, Sadaoui’s low cross after a quick one-two with Vibin Mohanan was cleared by Dippendu Biswas. Moments later, Hormipam’s looping cross nearly sneaked into the top corner, only for Dheeraj to tip it over.

Just before halftime, Mohammed Aimen cut in from the left and unleashed a curling shot that sailed narrowly over the bar, leaving the Blasters frustrated.

The second half began with Mohun Bagan SG striking early. In the 47th minute, Sachin Suresh pulled off a stunning save to deny Salahudheen in a one-on-one, but the warning went unheeded. Four minutes later, Ashique Kuruniyan tore down the left, breezed past Hormipam, and rolled a precise pass to Suhail Ahmad Bhat, who calmly slotted it home to double the lead.

From there, the game became the Dheeraj Singh show. Kerala Blasters threw everything forward, but the Mohun Bagan goalkeeper stood tall. Jesús Jiménez squandered two golden opportunities, blasting over the bar in the 65th minute and dragging a shot wide two minutes later. In the 70th minute, Dheeraj denied substitute Kwame Peprah’s angled effort, and with five minutes left, Peprah’s low cross found Jiménez, who couldn’t connect cleanly.

Read Also | Will Indian-Origin players ever get to play for India? AIFF keeps showing its aimless approach

Dheeraj’s heroics continued as he thwarted Peprah from point-blank range, with Amandeep clearing Ebindas Y’s follow-up off the line. The Blasters finally broke through in stoppage time when Jiménez set up Sreekuttan, who rifled a shot past Dheeraj. But the goal came too late to spark a comeback.

Salahudheen Adnan earned the Kalinga Player of the Match award for his electrifying performance.

Kerala Blasters FC started their Kalinga Super Cup 2025 on a high note by knocking out defending champions East Bengal by 2-0 in Bhubaneshwar on Sunday. Noah Sadaoui and Jesús Jiménez scored the goals for the Kerala Blasters as they outplayed the Kolkata side. 

With this defeat, East Bengal FC's season ended on a sad note after an overwhelming finish in the Indian Super League 2024-25. 

Kerala Blasters march on! 💥⚽

A dominant 2-0 win over East Bengal seals their spot in the Super 8. Next stop: a high-voltage clash against Mohun Bagan!#KBFC #BlastersOnTheRise #Super8Bound #keralablasters #SuperCup #mohunbagan #EastBengal #Indianfootball #Footballindia pic.twitter.com/ISfwWWWKly

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) April 20, 2025

Jesús Jiménez opened the scoring for Kerala as he found the back of the net from a penalty in the 40th minute of the match. In the second half, Noah Sadaoui extended the lead for the Manjapadas in the 64th minute to hand them an easy win. 

Blasters looked threatening from the word go as Jesus nearly scored from Noah's delivery in the second minute of the game. They kept on applying the pressure, but could not find the end result despite a few chances created by Noah. 

Noah Sadaoui's banger from outside the box in Kerala Blasters vs East Bengal FC match in Kalinga Super Cup 2025. pic.twitter.com/uWjrbpLMDZ

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) April 20, 2025

But it wasn't until the 40th minute that Jesus Jimenez stepped up to take the penalty after Gill made a foul inside the box. 

In the 64th minute, Noah scored a screamer of a goal to extend the lead, which was eventually good enough for them to qualify for the quarter-finals. 

Kerala Blasters will now face Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the quarter-final on 26th April. For those who do not know, Mohun Bagan SG will play from the quarter-final directly after they received a bye in the round of 16. 

"Today, the team showed me that they still have something inside, and they wanted to compete and do their best. I’m proud of them cuz the work they’ve done is amazing. We’ll have to see about Luna. He felt that it wasn’t good and asked for a change. We’ll see," Balsters' coach David Catala said after the win. 

The Kalinga Super Cup 2025 has undergone significant schedule adjustments following the withdrawal of Churchill Brothers FC Goa. The Round of 16 match against Mohun Bagan SG, originally set for an 8 PM IST kick-off on April 20, has been cancelled.

As a result, Mohun Bagan SG will advance directly with a bye.

Mohun Bagan SG, who recently clinched both the ISL 2024-25 Shield and Cup, will now face the winners of the rescheduled Round of 16 match between Kerala Blasters FC and East Bengal FC in the quarter-finals on April 26.

The Kerala Blasters FC vs. East Bengal FC clash has been moved to an 8 PM IST kick-off on April 20, 2025, ensuring the tournament progresses smoothly despite the unexpected withdrawal.

Here is the new schedule of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025

Here are the updated fixtures of the #KalingaSuperCup 🗓️#IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/TsAIFUKvEP

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) April 18, 2025

Indian Super League outfit Kerala Blasters have reportedly finalized appointing their new head coach for next season's edition of India's primary football tournament. 

According to multiple reports, the Manjappadas have roped in former El Salvador manager David Doniga as their new head coach, while the contract negotiations are in the final stages.

Kerala Blasters have finalised their coach and are now into the final stages of contract negotiations. The club expects to have a coach in place in the next 2-3 days.#IndianFootball #ISL #KBFC

— Marcus Mergulhao (@MarcusMergulhao) March 24, 2025

David Doniga will reportedly acquire the Kerala Blasters' hot-seat 

David Doniga has a very impressive coaching career despite taking up jobs mostly as an assistant manager. The 43-year-old Spanish tactician has gathered experience in coaching across 6 countries: Spain, Kuwait, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, and Bolivia.

Leading El Salvador to the CONCACAF Nations League A is the most praiseworthy feat Doniga has achieved so far in his career. The Spanish mastermind became the head coach of El Salvador in January 2024 before getting sacked a year later, in February 2025. 

In the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League B Group A, El Salvador topped the group with five wins out of six games, earning promotion to League A, and earning qualification for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup as well under his managerial radar.

David Dóniga al frente de #LaSelecta:

🇸🇻 15 partidos dirigidos
✅ 7 victorias
🤝 4 empates
❌ 4 derrotas
⚽ 18 goles a favor
🛑 15 goles en contra pic.twitter.com/8mUH1ZGwVh

— Josué Valiente (@JosueValiente47) February 24, 2025

Interestingly, Doniga was on the sidelines when El Salvador faced world champions Argentina in a 0-3 defeat in Philadelphia, US on March 23, 2024. During his tenure, Doniga oversaw 14 matches with El Salvador, achieving 7 victories, 3 draws, and 4 losses

Doniga served as an assistant coach in Kuwaiti football in 2021 and was appointed as an assistant to Thomas Christiansen on the Panama national team, where he also led the under-23 squad. 

The Spanish manager also became a crucial tactical brain behind Panama's brilliant run in the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifying, when Panama finished fifth on the table, missing out of the inter-continental play-off zone for only four points.

In 2022, he had a brief coaching stint with AD Nueve de Octubre in the Ecuadorian Liga Pro Serie A. After that, he worked with Sporting San Miguelito in Panamanian football from June to December 2023.

However, Doniga has experience working in LaLiga as well, having assisted Victor Sanchez as an assistant coach for Real Betis between November 2016 to May 2017. He also assisted Victor for clubs such as Spanish sides Deportivo, Malaga, and Greek side Olympiacos in different short stints.

Doniga holds a UEFA pro License as a coach, whereas he was also featured in the famous 'The Coaches Voice' back in September 2024.

However, nothing has been finalized and there is no official confirmation yet from Kerala Blasters concerning this appointment.