Kerala Blasters memangkas jarak poin di papan tengah Indian Super League (ISL) setelah menundukkan FC Goa dengan skor 1-0 di Stadion Internasional Jawaharlal Nehru, Kochi, pada Senin (18/5/2026) malam WIB.
Kemenangan pada pertandingan pekan ke-13 tersebut membuat Kerala Blasters mengoleksi 18 poin dari 14 pertandingan, sedangkan FC Goa bertahan dengan raihan 21 poin di papan klasemen sementara.
Dilansir dari laporan langsung Sportstar, kebuntuan pecah lewat aksi individu gelandang sayap Kevin Yoke pada menit ke-48 setelah menusuk dari sisi kiri kotak penalti, memotong ke arah dalam, dan melepaskan tembakan melengkung ke pojok kanan atas gawang.
Sebelum jalannya laga, manajer interim Kerala Blasters Ashley Westwood mengingatkan anak asuhnya untuk menjaga momentum positif karena menilai tim lawan memiliki skuad yang tangguh dengan kombinasi pemain nasional dan asing berpengalaman.
"They are a top-ranked side and have some very good Indian national players and experienced foreign players. We have to go out and give our best and try to win the match," ucap Ashley Westwood, Head Coach Kerala Blasters.
Manajer interim asal Inggris tersebut juga menggarisbawahi pentingnya kerja keras dan profesionalisme kepada seluruh staf dan pemain untuk tetap memberikan kontribusi maksimal dalam setiap pertandingan hingga akhir musim.
"Nothing's guaranteed in football. You have to work hard first and foremost. You have to match physicality and physical outputs. But at the end of the day, let's not finish the season on a down. We've been on an upward trajectory since the day I got here and just keep the momentum going, give it your all and let's not sit in two or three days' time where we're regretting things that we didn't give our everything to get the result. If we don't get it, that's fine as long as we give it our best," jelas Ashley Westwood, Head Coach Kerala Blasters.
Di samping hasil positif di lapangan hijau, manajemen klub dikabarkan telah berulang kali meminta pertemuan formal untuk membahas kemungkinan kontrak permanen bagi sang pelatih.
"To be honest, the management have asked me a couple of times for meetings," kata Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.
Kendati demikian, mantan pelatih yang menggantikan David Catala sejak jeda internasional bulan Maret 2026 ini memilih untuk menuntaskan sisa kontrak pendeknya terlebih dahulu dan mencurahkan fokus penuh pada sisa pertandingan.
"But me personally, when I came here, I said, listen, I am coming to help. I have got seven games, let me focus on seven games, let me give as much as I can. And when everything is finished, when the dust settles, you know, we can sit down and talk about the future," ujar Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.
Sikap jujur Westwood tersebut didasari oleh ketidakpastian kompetisi akibat krisis kemitraan komersial liga setelah klub menolak tawaran Genius Sports senilai 64 crore rupee per tahun selama 20 tahun karena enggan membagi tanggung jawab komersial dengan pihak luar.
"I am one of these people who is very straight, very honest and I do not want to enter any conversations until we know the future. And at the minute, as it stands, no one knows the future of Indian football. So, why speak about ifs, buts, maybes? Once all the facts are in, then I will be ready to talk," tegas Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.
Sembari menunggu kejelasan regulasi komersial dari Federasi Sepak Bola Seluruh India (AIFF), Westwood memilih berkonsentrasi penuh pada aspek teknis di lapangan bersama skuadnya.
"But until then, I concentrate on football and you never know when your last day can be in any job, in any position. So, we just keep training, keep playing and once we know the landscape, let us sit and talk," tambah Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.
Dari pihak lawan, pelatih FC Goa Manolo Marquez membenarkan adanya kebijakan rotasi pemain yang ia terapkan untuk susunan starter dalam laga tandang di Kochi ini.
"Some changes will be there among the starters but that’s not important," ungkap Manolo Marquez, Pelatih FC Goa.
Marquez menyatakan rotasi tersebut bukan alasan untuk tidak kompetitif menghadapi tuan rumah yang memiliki motivasi tinggi serta dukungan penuh dari suporter setempat di stadion.
"We need to be competitive (regardless of the changes). We face a team that is most motivated in the competition, even more than the teams who are fighting for the title. They have changed some foreign players and they are now better. They are playing with confidence. The crowd is also there and now more supporters will be at the stadium. It will be a nice farewell game of the season," tutur Manolo Marquez, Pelatih FC Goa.
Keberlanjutan kompetisi ini rencananya akan dibahas dalam pertemuan krusial antara AIFF dan seluruh klub ISL, kecuali East Bengal, pada 22 Mei 2026 mendatang.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 East Bengal | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 10 | 18 | 23 |
| 2 Mohun Bagan | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 23 |
| 3 Bengaluru | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 23 |
| 4 Punjab | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 22 |
| 5 Mumbai City | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 22 |
| 6 Jamshedpur | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 21 |
| 7 Goa | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 21 |
| 8 Kerala Blasters | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 18 |
| 9 Inter Kashi | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
