Kerala Blasters players greet fans after the game.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Kerala Blasters pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over defending champion Mumbai City in the ISL at the Nehru Stadium here on Friday with Ghanaian Kwame Peprah scoring the match-winner with a beauty early in the second half.
The win in its last home game, which brushed away the bitter memories of a poor season to some extent and helped Blasters climb a rung to ninth (28 points) in the league table, should now make life very difficult for Mumbai (seventh, 33 points).
Mumbai needs a point from its last match to make the playoffs, but it has a tough away game against an already-qualified Bengaluru FC next (March 11).
The match was a listless one for most part, but Peprah brought it to life with a superb goal in the 52nd minute. He won a forceful duel with Mumbai defender Thaer Krouma on the right inside the box and scored with a lovely angled shot which beat goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa hands down.
Peprah could have added one more shortly after the hour mark, but his shot from the left went wide. And Noah Sadaoui, who replaced him in the 71st minute, was unfortunate to see his attempt hit the bar near the end.
With the clocking ticking fast, Mumbai turned desperate. Its best chance came in the final minute of injury time. But Blasters defender Bikash Yumnam smartly stopped Vikram’s attempt near the goalline and the home side and the fans heaved a sigh of relief.
The result: Kerala Blasters 1 (Kwame Peprah 52) bt Mumbai City FC 0.
Published – March 07, 2025 10:37 pm IST