Kerala Blasters FC beat Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in Kochi on Saturday, April 18, 2026, in the Indian Super League 2025-26. Early headers from Nihal Sudheesh and substitute Vibin Mohanan settled the match. Goalkeeper Arsh Shaikh kept a clean sheet and Nihal Sudheesh received the Player of the Match award.
The match at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium saw a strong first half from Kerala. Both teams started at a quick pace and fought for control in midfield. Kerala showed early attacking intent through Karim Benarif and Kevin Yoke, while Jamshedpur used short passing and build-up play to stay in the contest.
The opening goal came in the 12th minute after a neat move. Kevin found Benarif on the left flank. Benarif ran forward, beat his marker and crossed into the box.
Nihal Sudheesh arrived from the right and jumped well to head past Albino Gomes, giving Kerala a 1-0 lead.
Jamshedpur almost hit back two minutes later from a corner. Defender Lazar Ćirković met the set piece with a firm header. His effort struck the post and the rebound bounced away from danger. Kerala Blasters survived the scare as the match stayed open and both sides continued to create chances.
Jamshedpur attacked mainly down the right wing through Nikhil Barla and Mohammed Sanan. Midfielder Nikola Stojanović tried to guide their moves from deep areas. However, their final passes and shots lacked accuracy. Chances went wide or were blocked, and Kerala looked more sharp near the penalty area.
Kerala doubled their lead in the 36th minute. Francisco Feuillassier sent a well-judged cross from near the touchline. Substitute Vibin Mohanan, who came on ten minutes earlier for injured Benarif, met the ball inside the box. His headed finish beat Albino Gomes and made it 2-0 to the home side.
Jamshedpur pressed before half-time. Vincy Barretto forced Arsh Shaikh into a save with a header. Mohammed Sanan also saw a shot blocked by the Kerala defence. The back line stayed compact, and the Blasters went into the break with a two-goal cushion and growing control of the match.
Jamshedpur started the second half with more urgency and extra players forward. Early on, Arsh Shaikh dealt with a dangerous cross from Rei Tachikawa. Soon after, Ritwik Das and Messi Bouli tested him with efforts on goal. The Kerala goalkeeper stayed alert and handled the pressure well.
Arsh Shaikh then produced several key saves. He denied Bouli and Stephen Eze as Jamshedpur kept pushing. Kerala relied on counter-attacks, with Yoke combining with substitute VÍctor Bertomeu. Vibin almost scored again but was forced wide. In the 84th minute, Jamshedpur captain Stephen Eze received a red card.
With Jamshedpur down to ten men, Kerala managed the closing minutes calmly. They held possession and reduced space for the visitors, who struggled to find clear shots. The final whistle sealed a 2-0 win. Kerala Blasters claimed their second victory of the season and moved to 11th with eight points, while Jamshedpur dropped to fifth with 15 points from nine matches.
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