Kochi, March 7 Chennaiyin FC delivered a dominant performance, securing a 1-0 victory against the hosts, Kerala Blasters, in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Saturday.
Midfielder Imran Khan's goal in the 42nd minute proved to be the decisive one, allowing Chennaiyin to accumulate four points.
Head coach Clifford Miranda's decision to bring Imran Khan back into the starting eleven proved to be a strategic move that paid off immediately. Imran clearly signaled his intentions in the 4th minute, scoring a goal after his shot hit the crossbar.
Imran continued to pressure the Kerala defence, and another brilliant run nearly gave Chennaiyin the lead in the 10th minute. This time, his shot grazed the side of the net.
This period of the first half saw Chennaiyin FC dominating the Kerala Blasters' area. They launched a series of attacks, and one of them in the 15th minute almost resulted in a goal, but Farukh Choudhary only managed to head the ball over.
Three minutes before halftime, captain Alberto Noguera provided a perfect pass to Imran inside the box, who then scored a goal. Imran's shot deflected off a defender before going in, leaving the hapless Kerala goalkeeper Arsh Anwer Shaikh stranded.
While the first half was primarily about attacks, the second half was different. With Kerala Blasters desperately trying to level the score, Chennaiyin had to focus on defending to maintain their lead. Despite several close calls, Chennaiyin's defenders performed admirably. They were also supported by goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz, who kept the lead intact with incredible saves from close range.
However, Chennaiyin's success wasn't just about defending. On counterattacks, they were always looking for an opportunity to score, and one such move in the closing stages nearly doubled their lead. This time, Noguera exploited a gap in the Kerala defence and unleashed a low shot that narrowly missed the target.
Successfully defending their lead, Marina Machans recorded their first win over Kerala Blasters at the latter's home ground in six years, with Nawaz named Man of the Match.
They will next face FC Goa at home, the first of five such fixtures at home.
