Kochi couldn't have had a worse possible start than this season. First they got locked out of the stadium which they called home before some kind of resolution was reached between the Kerala Blasters FC administrators and Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA). They has had a bad start losing all their matches so far including the one against Inter Kashi FC on Saturday.
Inter Kashi FC was composed and showed resilience to keep hosts at bay to clinch a 2-1 victory at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors climbed provisionally to sixth in the standings with five points, while Kerala Blasters were left searching for consistency in the early phase of the campaign. Alfred Planas was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Kerala Blasters head coach David Català made four changes to his starting XI, bringing in Muhammed Saheef, Vibin Mohanan, Matías Hernández, and French forward Kévin Yoke. Inter Kashi head coach Antonio Habas made three alterations, introducing Wayne Vaz, Lithuanian forward Nauris Petkevičius, and defender Narender.
Inter Kashi seemed to be on the roll and got their first opportunity as early as the second minute when Inter Kashi midfielder Rohit Danu tested Arsh Shaikh from distance. The opening exchanges were evenly contested, with neither side able to impose themselves in the final third.
Kerala Blasters threatened from a set-piece in the 15th minute when center back Oumar Bah headed wide from Vibin Mohanan’s delivery. At the other end, Petkevičius was lively, seeing one effort blocked before firing another wide of the target after being picked out by Planas.
The deadlock was broken in the 34th minute when Alfred Planas threaded a precise through ball into the path of Petkevičius, who created space before unleashing a powerful right-footed strike into the centre of the net, giving Inter Kashi a 1-0 lead.
Inter Kashi doubled their advantage in the 78th minute through a well-worked move. Petkevičius once again played a key role, setting up Alfred Planas on the right side of the box, and the Spaniard made no mistake, placing a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner to make it 2-0.
The hosts responded in the 84th minute, substitute Ebindas Y delivered a cross following a set-piece, and Víctor Bertomeu produced an acrobatic right-footed finish from a tight angle to pull one back for the home side.
Kerala Blasters FC 1 (Víctor Bertomeu 84’) Inter Kashi FC 2 (Nauris Petkevičius 34’, Alfred Planas 78’)
Indian Football League: Deccan win
Sreenidi Deccan FC edged past debutants Diamond Harbour FC by a solitary goal in Match three of Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 at the Kalyani Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
Cameroonian midfielder Fabrice Kah struck on the hour mark for the Hyderabad-based side, a goal that ultimately proved decisive in an early-season contest of significance.
Diamond Harbour were handed a gilt-edged opportunity to draw level from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute, but substitute goalkeeper Aryan Niraj Lamba emerged as the hero, producing a superb save to ensure Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto’s side departed with all three points.