Kerala Blasters conceded four in Guwahati, and Mumbai City come to Kochi without an open-play goal
Mumbai City’s two ISL goals this season have both come from the penalty spot, and Kerala Blasters play their first home game after a 4-1 defeat at NorthEast United.
Oct 25, 2026
Kerala Blasters have played two away games to start the season, and their first night at home comes a week after NorthEast United put four past them in Guwahati. Ashley Westwood’s side host Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday, kick-off 7:30pm IST.
Mumbai City have their own problem. They have scored twice in two ISL games this season, and both goals were penalties.
What went wrong in Guwahati
Kerala started the season well. Vibin Mohanan scored in the 18th minute in Pune, from Korou Singh’s pass, and Andre Green added a second in stoppage time for a 2-0 win at Inter Kashi.
The trip to NorthEast was different. Westwood picked a five-man defence to deal with Alaaeddine Ajaraie and Jithin MS, and it lasted a quarter of an hour. Ajaraie went through to score on 15 minutes, Antonio Moyano made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, and after Momo Yansané pulled one back around the hour, a poor clearance from Korou let Ajaraie score again. Aman CK added the fourth. NorthEast had the better of the chances.
That leaves Kerala on three points from two games. After Guwahati, Westwood said a win and a draw from the next two would be a decent return, seven or eight points from the first 12. In practical terms that means beating Mumbai City at home.
“We try and play intense, aggressive football. We try and get numbers forward. We try and win every game,” Westwood said before the game. “You can’t guarantee a result, but we can guarantee we give everything we’ve got.”
Mumbai City still looking for an open-play goal
Manolo Márquez is still waiting for his first league win as Mumbai City coach. His first game in charge ended in a 2-1 defeat at Churchill Brothers in Goa on 11 October, the ISL newcomers’ first win, with Gaurav Bora and Sebastian Gutierrez scoring before Sergio Llamas converted a penalty in stoppage time. Last Monday in Delhi, Leandro Otormín’s penalty had them ahead against Punjab FC until Gurkirat Singh headed in a 90th-minute equaliser.
That is one point from two games, and Márquez has not tried to hide where the trouble is. “Obviously, we would like to create more chances,” he said. “I think that we have more problems getting to the goal in open play.”
The injury list makes that harder to fix. Vikram Partap Singh is out for an extended spell, and Wilmar Jordan Gil, who came on against Punjab, is expected to miss several matches with a hamstring injury.
The last time in Kochi
Mumbai City won the only league meeting last season, 1-0 at this ground on 22 February, with Lallianzuala Chhangte scoring. Kerala had won the fixture in Kochi the season before, 1-0 in March 2025 through Kwame Peprah.
A tight game would suit Mumbai City more than it suits Kerala. The visitors have not shown they can open a defence without a spot-kick, and a home side that leaked four last week could settle for a careful night. But Westwood’s words point the other way. Kerala have a home crowd for the first time this season, and if they push numbers forward against an attack that has not scored from open play, I would expect chances at both ends.
The match is on the Sony Sports Network and streams free on YouTube.