Super Cup 2025-26: Kerala Blasters past Rajasthan United in hard-fought campaign opener

New signing Koldo Obieta scored a late winner as Kerala Blasters started their AIFF Super Cup campaign on a high with a 1-0 win over Rajasthan United at the GMC Stadium here on Thursday.

Against a side from the upper division and outnumbered for most of the second half, Rajasthan held the Blasters to a goalless draw for 86 minutes until Obieta’s header turned the match in favor of David Catala’s side.

Rajasthan United FC vs Kerala Blasters HIGHLIGHTS

The Blasters started without their key forward from last season, Noah Sadaoui, and used a predictable pattern of long-ball attacks, with defender Juan Rodriguez deploying Koldo Obieta up front.

But Rajasthan’s four-man backline left Obieta stuck between two defenders for most of the match.

As a result, KBFC tried to find an opening through set pieces and almost got one in the 22nd minute. Adrian Luna’s corner was headed by Dane Farooq, but the ball went out of play after hitting the outside of the woodwork.

Eight minutes later, the Blasters attacked again from a corner – this time Muhammed Saheef’s header was cleared just short of their goal line by Gursimrat Singh Gill.

After the restart, KBFC tried to attack through the center when Obieta made a pass for Nihal Sudheesh in the final third.

But Gursimrat’s action just outside the penalty area was deemed by referee Aditya Purkayastha as a denial of a clear scoring opportunity, and the defender was sent off.

Rajasthan too had their moments of brilliance in the second half as Colombian forward, Robinson Blandon, tested KBFC goalkeeper Nora Fernandes from close range, leading to a save in the 50th minute.

Twenty minutes later, Naoba Meitei delivered a low cross from the right flank, after an overlapping point, but Blandon failed to hit a ball in the center and missed a certain opening shot.

Just when Rajathan looked confident of finishing the match with a point, the combination of Juan and Obieta paid off. Juan, instead of releasing the ball from the back, marched onto the field and put Obieta in the penalty area.

The Spaniard surged forward and headed the ball past a diving Bhabindra Malla to score his first goal for the club.

He could have doubled the lead in second-half stoppage time when he beat Bhabindra in a one-on-one situation, but Harmanjot Khabra used all his experience to clear the ball off the goal line.

The win moved Blasters second in Group D, with Mumbai City FC – equal to KBFC on points – topping the table on goal difference.

Catala’s side will next play bottom-placed Sporting Club Delhi here on November 3, while Rajasthan will take on the Islanders at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium later on the same day.

Published on October 30, 2025