Mumbai City FC secured their second consecutive victory in the Indian Super League 2025-26 season with a 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Lallianzuala Chhangte’s early second-half strike in the 48th minute proved decisive after Jorge Pereyra Díaz had missed a penalty in the first half. The Islanders provisionally moved into third place with six points from two matches, while Kerala Blasters are yet to open their account this campaign.
Table of Contents
Match Summary
David Català made four changes to his starting lineup, handing Arsh Anwer Shaikh a start in goal in place of Sachin Suresh, while Sandeep Singh, Marlon Roos Trujillo and Naocha Singh replaced Muhammed Saheef, Aiban Dohling and Ebindas Yesudas. Petr Kratky made a solitary alteration, with Vikram Partap Singh coming in for the injured Jorge Ortiz. Both goalkeepers were called into action in an open start. Víctor Bertomeu forced a sharp save from Phurba Lachenpa after being released by Korou Singh’s lofted pass, then glanced a header over the bar from another Korou delivery.
Jorge Pereyra Díaz won a penalty on the half-hour mark after being brought down by Danish Farooq, but Arsh Anwer Shaikh, making his first ISL appearance in over three years, guessed correctly and dived low to his right to palm the effort away. Kerala Blasters introduced Vibin Mohanan and Kevin Yoke at the start of the second half, while Mumbai City replaced Sahil Panwar (yellow card) with Bijay Chhetri.
The visitors struck just three minutes after the restart when Brandon Fernandes’ overhead kick dropped to B. Lalnuntluanga on the edge of the area, and his long-range effort took a deflection off Oumar Ba before falling kindly to Chhangte, who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper to open his account for the season. The Islanders slowed the tempo and invited the home side forward. Kerala Blasters went close late with substitute Muhammad Ajsal and Bertomeu both seeing headers drift agonizingly wide after taking slight deflections, but Mumbai City held firm.
Match Scorecard
| Team | Score | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerala Blasters FC | 0 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi | February 22, 2026 |
| Mumbai City FC | 1 | — | ISL 2025-26, Match 12 |
Goal: Lallianzuala Chhangte 48′ Player of the Match: Lallianzuala Chhangte Kerala Blasters head coach: David Català Mumbai City head coach: Petr Kratky Mumbai City position: Provisionally third place (6 points from 2 matches) Kerala Blasters position: Yet to open account this campaign
First Half: Díaz Penalty Miss Keeps Scores Level
Open Start — Both Goalkeepers Tested
Both goalkeepers were called into action in an open start that set the tone for the contest. Víctor Bertomeu forced a sharp save from Phurba Lachenpa at his near post after being released by Korou Singh’s lofted pass.
The Spanish forward later glanced a header over the bar from another Korou delivery, before Lallianzuala Chhangte tested the Kerala Blasters goalkeeper at the other end.
Penalty Drama — 30th Minute
Jorge Pereyra Díaz won a penalty on the half-hour mark after being brought down by Danish Farooq. The Argentine stepped up to take it himself, but Arsh Anwer Shaikh, who was making his first ISL appearance in over three years, guessed correctly, diving low to his right to palm the effort away to safety.
It was a crucial moment that kept Kerala Blasters level heading into the break.
Second Half: Chhangte Strikes Early
Half-Time Substitutions
Kerala Blasters introduced Vibin Mohanan and Kevin Yoke at the start of the second half, while Mumbai City replaced Sahil Panwar, who was on a yellow card, with Bijay Chhetri.
The Decisive Moment — 48th Minute
The visitors struck just three minutes after the restart. Brandon Fernandes’ overhead kick dropped to B. Lalnuntluanga on the edge of the area, and his long-range effort took a deflection off Oumar Ba before falling kindly to Chhangte, who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper to open his account for the season.
Mumbai’s Game Management
The Islanders then took the sting out of the contest, slowing the tempo and inviting the home side to commit numbers forward. Kerala Blasters head coach David Català responded with further changes, but the hosts struggled to carve out any clear-cut openings to test the opposition goalkeeper.
A lack of movement in the final third made it increasingly difficult for them to unsettle the Mumbai City defence.
Late Kerala Pressure
Kerala Blasters went close to finding a late equalizer in the closing minutes. Substitute Muhammad Ajsal and Víctor Bertomeu both saw their headers drift agonizingly wide after taking slight deflections off defenders.
In the end, Mumbai City held firm to protect their slender one-goal advantage and secure their second consecutive win of the season.
Match-Winning Performance: Lallianzuala Chhangte
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Goal | 48th minute (3 minutes after restart) |
| Build-up | Fernandes overhead kick → Lalnuntluanga long-range effort → deflection off Ba → fell to Chhangte |
| Finish | Calmly slotted past goalkeeper |
| Season opener | First goal of ISL 2025-26 campaign |
| Award | Player of the Match |
| Impact | Decisive strike gave Mumbai second consecutive victory |
Key Performances
Mumbai City FC
| Player | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Lallianzuala Chhangte | 48th-minute winner; Player of Match; opened ISL 2025-26 account |
| Brandon Fernandes | Overhead kick initiated winning goal sequence |
| B. Lalnuntluanga | Long-range effort (deflection off Ba) set up Chhangte |
| Phurba Lachenpa | Sharp save from Bertomeu (near post); tested by Bertomeu header |
| Sahil Panwar | Yellow card; replaced by Bijay Chhetri at half-time |
| Bijay Chhetri | Brought on for Panwar (yellow card) |
| Vikram Partap Singh | Started in place of injured Jorge Ortiz |
Kerala Blasters FC
| Player | Performance |
|---|---|
| Arsh Anwer Shaikh | First ISL appearance in over 3 years; penalty save (30′) dived low to right |
| Danish Farooq | Brought down Díaz for penalty |
| Víctor Bertomeu | Sharp save forced from Lachenpa; header over bar; late header wide (deflection) |
| Korou Singh | Lofted pass released Bertomeu; another delivery for Bertomeu header |
| Jorge Pereyra Díaz | Won penalty (30′); missed (Shaikh saved diving low to right) |
| Vibin Mohanan | Introduced at half-time |
| Kevin Yoke | Introduced at half-time |
| Muhammad Ajsal | Substitute; late header wide (deflection) |
| Sandeep Singh | Started (replaced Muhammed Saheef) |
| Marlon Roos Trujillo | Started (replaced Aiban Dohling) |
| Naocha Singh | Started (replaced Ebindas Yesudas) |
Key Statistics
Mumbai City FC
| Stat | Performance |
|---|---|
| Goals | 1 (Chhangte 48′) |
| Points | 6 from 2 matches |
| Position | Provisionally third place |
| Win streak | Second consecutive victory |
| Penalty | Missed (Díaz saved by Shaikh 30′) |
| Game management | Slowed tempo after goal; held firm |
Kerala Blasters FC
| Stat | Performance |
|---|---|
| Goals | 0 |
| Points | 0 this campaign |
| Penalty save | Shaikh (30′) dived low to right |
| Late chances | Ajsal, Bertomeu headers wide (deflections) |
| Final third | Lacked movement; struggled to create clear-cut chances |
Read More: ISL 2025-26: Lalrinzuala’s Strike Rescues NorthEast United a Draw vs Bengaluru FC
FAQs
What was the final score of Kerala Blasters vs Mumbai City?
Mumbai City won 1-0 with Lallianzuala Chhangte scoring in the 48th minute at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
Who was named Player of the Match?
Lallianzuala Chhangte was awarded Player of the Match for his decisive 48th-minute strike that opened his account for the ISL 2025-26 season.
What happened with the penalty in the first half?
Jorge Pereyra Díaz won a penalty after being brought down by Danish Farooq, but Arsh Anwer Shaikh (making his first ISL appearance in over three years) saved it, diving low to his right.
Where does Mumbai City stand in the ISL 2025-26 table?
Mumbai City provisionally moved into third place with six points from two matches after securing their second consecutive victory.
How did Chhangte score the winning goal?
Brandon Fernandes’ overhead kick dropped to B. Lalnuntluanga whose long-range effort deflected off Oumar Ba, falling kindly to Chhangte who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper.
