That'll be all from us. Do join us on Friday at 1930 IST for the match between ATK and Hyderabad FC. Cheers!
Awards
Mumbai City FC earn a win and the Club Award. Limitless Player of the Match Award is given to Diego Carlos. Prasanth Karuthadathkuni grabs the ISL Emerging Player of the Match Award while Amine Chermiti wins the Hero of the Match Award for his goal-scoring heroics.
Mumbai City FC earned it!
The Islander have started their campaign with a hard-fought win. Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Amine Chermiti was billed for big things this season and he didn't disappoint. In the balance of play, Mumbai City FC edged it. Their overall game was superior in the first half. Although Kerala Blasters FC with their substitutions did come closer. It took Amine Chermiti's 82nd minute effort and Amrinder Singh's flying save in the dying moments to hand Mumbai three points. The hosts will be crestfallen even after upping the ante in the second phase.
90'
Full time
The ref signals the end of the match. That outstanding save by skipper Amrinder Singh in the dying minutes has awarded Mumbai three points to go third on the ISL table.
90'
Bartholomew Ogbeche forces a save
Has Amrinder Singh earned three points for Mumbai City FC? A cross comes in for the Nigerian, who controls it well and volleys the ball towards goal. Skipper, Amrinder Singh dives to his left to force a one-handed save and sends it out for a corner.
90'
Mumbai hanging on!
Amrinder Singh comes ahead and punches the ball out. Mumbai try to clear their lines but Kerala Blasters FC get it back. They weren't able to do much with the ball.
90'
KCFC can't salvage it
Jessel Carneiro launches the ball to Mouhamadou Gning, who heads it wide of the mark. Time added on is five minutes.
88'
Mumbai get a throw-in
Subhasish Bose launches the ball to Mohamed Larbi on the left. It's taken off his feet and put out for a throw in.
84'
Almost the second goal!
Big miscommunication between the keeper and one of the Kerala Blasters FC defenders. Both are outside the box, trying to get to the ball but collide. Amine Chermiti takes the possession of the ball on the right side but could not do anything with it. Just a weak cross inside the box and Bilal Husain Khan recovers by then to collect the ball.
82'
Mumbai City FC score!
The Tunisian Amine Chermiti has scored. A spell of Mumbai pressure, Mohamed Larbi plays in Sauvik Chakrabarti on the right wing, he weighs it up and blazes in a cross. Jessel Carneiro only manages a toe-poke to the path of the fox in the box Amine Chermiti. The man from Tunisia, slots it to the back of the net wide of the keeper.
82'
Goal
Goal - Mumbai City FC : CHERMITI
79'
Dancing feet
Sahal Abdul Samad who has just come on has the most no. of successful dribbles in this season's ISL.
78'
Another sub for KCFC
Sahal Abdul Samad comes on for Prasanth Karuthadathkuni.
78'
Substitution
Substitution - Kerala Blasters FC (In: SAHAL, Out: PRASANTH)
73'
Substitution
Substitution - Mumbai City FC (In: F. ANGOUE, Out: DIEGO)
71'
KBFC's free kick comes to nothing
Jessel Carneiro, near the halfway line, crosses it at the far post. Amrinder Singh, MCFC's keeper, confidently punches it out to safety.
68'
Fresh legs for Kerala Blasters FC
Messi Bouli is on for Sergio Cidoncha.
68'
Substitution
Substitution - Kerala Blasters FC (In: MESSI B, Out: CIDO)
64'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : JAIRO
61'
Yellow to Sarthak Golui
Rahul KP gets the ball on left, his pace creates havoc for Mumbai City FC's defenders. Sarthak Golui steps up and slashes KP to the ground. The ref cautions the defender.
61'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Mumbai City FC : SARTHAK
57'
Free kick to Mumbai City FC
Diego Carlos takes the free kick on the left flank. Subhasish Bose's header is on target but it's a weak one and Bilal Husain Khan saves it easily.
53'
Substitution
Substitution - Kerala Blasters FC (In: RAHUL, Out: NARZARY. H)
53'
Just wide
Mohamed Larbi flies down the left flank and crosses it in the middle. It goes through legs of Amine Chermiti to Modou Sougou near the penalty spot. The no. 28 is running in and slides to meet the ball. But his kick goes wide of the right post.
51'
Given away
Mouhamadou Gning is feisty in the middle of the park and wins the ball and sets up Halicharan Narzary. Nothing doing after that.
47'
Mumbai City FC calling the shots
Subhasish Bose crosses from the left but Modou Sougou has strayed off side. Bilal Husain Khan resumes play for the Blasters.
46'
Play resumes
Mumbai City FC get us underway.
Visitors on top!
End of a half which didn't have too many chances created! Both sides started cautiously before Mumbai City FC built some momentum. They were getting good passes going but none materialized into a goal. Kerala Blasters FC spent most of the time defending but then slowly began to create their own chances. Jairo Rodrigues's attempted header on target which was saved by Amrinder Singh was the closest that any side got to open the scoring. The defenders have been right on the money for both teams and one could feel that it's not going to be easy to break their resistance. Do join us in a short while for the second half.
45'
Half-Time
The two added minutes are complete. The ref has blown his whistle for half time.
45'
Corner for KBFC
The Blasters have a chance. But it ends as a yellow for a handball against Mouhamadou Gning. Jessel Carneiro swings it in. Jairo Rodrigues lays it off for Gning behind him. The no. 7 handles the ball after he heads it. Even with the unfair means, the ball is wide off the mark. Amrinder Singh appeals for handball. The ref duly flashes a yellow for Mouhamadou Gning.
45'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Kerala Blasters FC : MOUSTAPHA
42'
Receives a caution and gets subbed for injury
Mato Grgic lunges in wildly on Halicharan Narzary on the left wing. Gning gets a yellow for it and he has overstretched his hamstring. He can't shake it off and Pratik Chaudhari replaces Mato Grgic. There's one more change - Modou Sougou is on for Paulo Machado.
42'
Substitution
Substitution - Mumbai City FC (In: PRATIK, Out: GRGIC)
42'
Substitution
Substitution - Mumbai City FC (In: SOUGOU, Out: MACHADO)
40'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Mumbai City FC : GRGIC
30'
Lots of action
Paulo Machado takes a corner for Mumbai City FC. It's cleared. The ball finds its way to Raynier Fernandes on the left flank. He floats a speculative cross to the far post. Bilal Husain Khan jumps up and flaps the ball away, unconvincingly to safety.
25'
Chance! For Kerala Blasters FC
Bartholomew Ogbeche heads wide off the mark. It all came from a left wing free kick near the half-line. Sergio Cidoncha crosses it to the far post, where the no. 10 heads the ball to the left of the post.
23'
Close!
Ends up as offside. Paulo Machado on the ball for a free kick on the left, he floats it well to the far post but a couple off his teammates strayed off too soon. The flag is up.
19'
Knocking on the door
Paulo Machado plays in a deft through ball to Diego Carlos on the left. The no. 18 blasts a fierce strike on target. It's straight at Bilal Husain Khan, who punches it out for a corner.
15'
No end product
Kerala Blasters FC have the ball but they can't make possession count. Jairo Rodrigues starts a moves to play in Mouhamadou Gning ahead of him. The no. 7's through ball finds none of his teammates.
10'
Here come Mumbai City FC again
Rowllin Borges sends in a fine cross-field ball from the left to Diego Carlos high in the Kerala Blasters FC half on the right. Carlos swings yet another fizzing cross inside the box but Mohamed Larbi heads it wide of the mark.
9'
Mumbai on top!
Mumbai City FC in the ascendancy early on. Yet another cross from the right wing after a surging run by Sauvik Chakrabarti. It creates some confusion as Gianni Zuiverloon heads it high and Bilal Husain Khan collects.
5'
Appeal for penalty!
Not given. Kerala Blasters FC are really lucky to get away with this one. Subhasish Bose sends across a nice long ball to Amine Chermiti, who controls it well and then enters the box. He's through on goal but is pushed from behind by Gianni Zuiverloon. Amine is down appealing for a penalty but the referee turns it down.
4'
Loud cheer!
Star man, Amine Chermiti on the ball at the halfway line on Mumbai City FC's left side. He is fouled by Jeakson Singh. Diego Carlos takes the resulting free kick.
1'
Kick off!
We're off, the hosts get us underway. The attack builds up on the right flank as Prasanth Karuthadathkuni speculative shot is safely held by Amrinder Singh.
Toss
Amrinder Singh wins the toss and chooses to kick from left to right.
National Anthem
The players of both the teams have lined up on either side of the referees. They are standing in attention to pay respect to the Indian National Anthem.
The Men from God’s own country take on Mumbai City FC in their own backyard. The Blasters proved that the belief in their ranks is high, after registering a come from behind win in the tournament opener. The man responsible for the Blasters earning three points was, Bartholomew Ogbeche, who scored a brace. The hosts’ head coach, Eelco Schattorie will want to improve Kerala’s head-to-head record versus Mumbai. With Ogbeche, Jario Rodrigues, Jeakson Singh and Co it may be possible. A win in today’s game will assure the Kerala Blasters top spot at least until the end of this week. Mumbai, on the other hand, would want to win as well to kick off their campaign in style. The Islanders have bought new players in the last transfer window. To gauge the quality of the group it will take a few games. However, Amine Chermiti, the Tunisian striker is spoken highly off in the footballing circle. He could provide the spark to the team that finished 3rd in last year’s ISL. It promises to be a fascinating affair.