Daijiworld Media Network - Bambolim

Bambolim, Oct 30: A dramatic late header from Koldo Obieta gave Kerala Blasters FC a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a resilient Rajasthan United FC in their opening AIFF Super Cup 2025-26 Group D clash at the GMC Stadium on Thursday.

Despite playing with 10 men after Gursimrat Singh Gill was shown a straight red card early in the second half, Rajasthan pushed the Blasters until the final minutes. Obieta, making his competitive debut for Kerala, finally broke the deadlock in the 87th minute, nodding in Juan Rodriguez’s precise cross to secure all three points.

The Blasters, led by Adrian Luna, struggled to convert their dominance into goals for most of the game, with Rajasthan goalkeeper Bhabindra Malla Thakuri pulling off several key saves. Earlier, Danish Farooq’s header grazed the bar, while Muhammed Saheef’s effort was cleared off the line.

Even with the numerical advantage, Kerala found it difficult to break down Rajasthan’s deep defense until Obieta’s late strike. Rajasthan nearly equalised in stoppage time, but Nora Fernandes and Harmanjot Khabra combined to preserve the clean sheet.

The result gives Kerala Blasters a winning start to their Super Cup campaign, while Rajasthan United will take heart from their spirited performance despite the defeat.