Kerala Blasters FC signed off their Indian Super League 2025-26 campaign in style with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday night.
Goals from Kévin Yoke and Fallou Ndiaye ensured the Blasters claimed all three points in front of their home crowd, extending their unbeaten streak to six matches and securing a fourth consecutive victory to close out the season on a strong note. Muhammed Nemil scored for the visitors, while Kévin Yoke was deservedly named Player of the Match after an influential display.
The result saw Kerala Blasters finish eighth in the standings with 17 points from 13 matches.
The visitors started brightly and enjoyed the majority of possession during the opening exchanges. FC Goa looked dangerous in transition, with Ronney Willson Kharbudon and Dejan Dražić both testing the Kerala Blasters defence early on.
Despite Goa’s control on the ball, Kerala Blasters remained threatening whenever they pushed forward. Vibin Mohanan came close midway through the first half after forcing a sharp save from Bob Jackson, while a series of dangerous corners kept the visitors pinned back.
Nihal Sudeesh nearly broke the deadlock late in the half with an ambitious effort, while at the other end Udanta Singh’s header was brilliantly dealt with by Arsh Shaikh to ensure the sides went into the break level.
The Blasters emerged for the second half with far greater urgency, and the breakthrough arrived almost immediately. In the 48th minute, Kévin Yoke produced a moment of quality, unleashing a stunning strike from outside the box that flew into the top corner to ignite the home crowd.
FC Goa responded and continued to move the ball through the midfield. Their pressure paid off in the 62nd minute when Brison Fernandes delivered a dangerous low cross into the area, allowing Muhammed Nemil to finish from close range and bring the visitors back on level terms.
The contest remained finely balanced as both teams searched for a winner. Yoke continued to drive Kerala Blasters forward with his energy and direct running, while FC Goa threatened through long-range efforts from Dražić and Udanta Singh.
The decisive moment came in the 81st minute. Francisco Feuillassier whipped in a dangerous corner delivery, and Fallou Ndiaye reacted quickest inside the box to guide the ball into the bottom corner and restore Kerala Blasters’ advantage.
FC Goa pushed numbers forward in the closing stages in search of another equaliser, but the Blasters defended resolutely. Late attempts from Prachit Vishwas and others were blocked as the hosts managed the final moments to secure an impressive victory in their final game of the season.
The win capped off a remarkable end to the campaign for Kerala Blasters, whose strong late-season form saw them finish the season unbeaten in six matches and with four straight victories heading into the off-season.
