ISL 2: Kerala play NorthEast United at home

Kochi: Last season’s runners-up Kerala Blasters FC begin their Indian Super League-2 campaign at home against NorthEast United at Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday. Both teams, however, will be sans their marquee players.

Carlos Marchena has not yet recovered from a back problem and is likely to be out for at least a week. NorthEast are pegged back with a more recent injury in training to Portuguese international Simao Sabrosa. “Marchena will probably be fit for the game on the 13th or later,” said Blasters head coach Peter Taylor.