Punjab FC Beat Kerala Blasters 3-1 In Kochi To Extend Away Form In ISL 2025-26

Add as a preferred source on Google

Punjab FC beat Kerala Blasters FC 3-1 in Kochi on Saturday, 21 March 2026, in Match 40 of the Indian Super League 2025-26. Early goals from Samir Zeljković, Bede Osuji and Dani Ramírez set up the win. Fallou Ndiaye scored the Blasters' lone reply.

The result moved Punjab FC to fifth with eight points from five matches and gave them their second win of the campaign. Kerala Blasters stayed 13th with one point from six games and remained winless. Marlon Roos-Trujillo saw red in stoppage time.

Punjab recorded a third straight victory in Kochi, becoming only the second club with three successive away wins here. Kerala Blasters head coach David Català kept an unchanged starting XI. Punjab boss Panagiotis Dilmperis made three changes.

Pramveer Singh came into defence for Pablo Renan Santos. Bede Osuji started up front for suspended striker Nsungusi Effiong. Muhammad Suhail returned to the line-up, replacing Leon Augustine. The tweaks helped Punjab start sharper and attack with direct passing.

Punjab struck early through Zeljković in the seventh minute, Osuji in the 18th and Ramírez in the 38th. Ndiaye replied for Kerala Blasters in the 65th minute, but the deficit proved too large as Punjab controlled key moments.

First-half dominance

Punjab opened strongly with intense pressing that forced errors in midfield and defence. Khaiminthang Lhungdim created the opener, spotting Zeljković’s run and lifting a pass into space. The Bosnian chest-controlled past the advancing goalkeeper and finished into an empty net for his first league goal this season.

Kerala Blasters kept losing the ball cheaply in midfield. In the 18th minute, Hormipam Ruivah’s pass was cut out by Zeljković, who slipped Osuji through. The Nigerian finished left-footed beyond Arsh Shaikh. Later, Manglenthang Kipgen struck the bar before Ramírez headed in the rebound.

Second-half response

Punjab managed the second half calmly, again pressing high when needed. Kerala Blasters slowly found rhythm, helped by lively wing play from Kevin Yoke. Ndiaye halved the deficit on 65 minutes, powering a header past Arshdeep Singh after Naocha Singh and Jai Quitongo recycled a cleared corner.

The goal raised the home side’s energy, but Punjab dropped deeper and played on the counter. Clear chances stayed rare for Kerala Blasters. Arshdeep Singh saved Quitongo’s late effort. Roos-Trujillo then received a second yellow card in stoppage time, ending a difficult night for the hosts.