Kerala Blasters FC – 0
Chennaiyin FC – 1 (Imran Khan 42’)

Kochi, Saturday, March 7, 2026: Imran Khan’s first half strike ensured Chennaiyin FC inflict Kerala Blasters with their fourth consecutive defeat of the season in Indian Super League 2025-26 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

Chennaiyin FC secured their first win of the season and moved provisionally into eighth place in the table with four points from as many matches, while Kerala Blasters, still searching for their first point, remain 12th. Chennaiyin goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz was adjudged Player of the Match.

Kerala Blasters head coach David Català made five changes to his side from the previous match, bringing in Muhammad Ajsal, Aibanbha Dohling, Bikash Yumnam, Nihal Sudeesh and RV Hormipam in place of Sandeep Singh, Muhammed Saheef, Korou Singh, Danish Farooq and Oumar Ba, who has since departed the club.

Chennaiyin FC head coach Clifford Miranda, meanwhile, made just one alteration to his starting XI, with Imran Khan coming in on the wing in place of Irfan Yadwad.

The visitors began on the front foot, refusing to allow the home side to settle into any early rhythm. Imran Khan came close to opening the scoring when he struck the post after the Blasters defence failed to clear Farukh Choudhary’s cross. Moments later, midfielder Maheson Singh tested the goalkeeper with a sharp effort at the near post after being neatly set up by Imran.

The home side gradually settled into the contest and began to create openings with some neat attacking play, testing Mohammad Nawaz in the Chennaiyin goal. Muhammad Ajsal, Víctor Bertomeu and Vibin Mohanan all had efforts on target, but their attempts were directed straight at Nawaz, who dealt with them comfortably.

Chennaiyin took the lead three minutes before half-time through Imran Khan. Alberto Noguera slipped a pass into the winger’s path, and Imran attempted to curl his effort into the far corner. The shot, however, took a heavy deflection off Hormipam and found the bottom corner beyond the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Arsh Anwer Shaikh into the net.

Kerala Blasters displayed greater attacking intent in the second half, with Kevin Yoke and Nihal Sudeesh becoming increasingly influential from the flanks while Muhammad Ajsal found promising pockets of space. The hosts enjoyed more possession and began to apply sustained pressure on the opposition defence. They fashioned at least four clear-cut chances in search of an equaliser but were unable to apply the finishing touch.

Mohammad Nawaz produced a brilliant double save to deny Víctor Bertomeu twice from point-blank range. Soon after, Kevin Yoke picked out Nihal Sudeesh with a cut-back inside the box, but the winger’s effort crashed back off the crossbar. The pair combined again moments later, although the French winger’s cross just evaded the diving header of Nihal.

Chennaiyin held firm to protect their slender lead as Kerala Blasters continued to be wasteful in front of goal. Substitute Ebindas Yesudasan injected fresh energy into the midfield, creating a few more openings for the attackers ahead of him, but the elusive equaliser never arrived by the final whistle.

The visitors ultimately preserved their one-goal advantage to seal their first victory in Kochi in six years.