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A slice of action from an ISL match between North-East United FC (white) and Kerala Blasters FC in Guwahati on Nov 15, 2015.IANS

Kerala Blasters have increased their firepower further ahead of ISL 2016 as they announced the addition of their ninth foreign player on Tuesday. The Sachin Tendulkar co-owned side added defensive midfielder Azrack Mahamat, the first-ever Chadian footballer to appear in the Indian Super League.

The 27-year-old, a former player of La Liga side Espanyol, has scored once from his 11 appearance for the Chad national football team. Mahamat's experience of playing across several football leagues in the world is also expected to help Kerala Blasters a lot this time around.

The Kochi-based football side are leaving no stones unturned this time around to make calculated buys. The ISL franchisee came in last in the ISL last season, shocking many, after making it to the finals of the ISL in the inaugural season. 

Mahamat joins a host of experienced and young foreign players in the team which include veterans Aaron Hughes, Graham Stack, Cedric Hengbart, Michael Chopra as well as fiery-brand footballers in Josu, Antonio German, Kervens Belfort and Ouzin Ndoye. The head coach of Kerala Blasters for ISL 2016 is Steve Coppell. 

Kerala Blasters open their campaign in the third season of the Indian Super League against NorthEast United FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.