ISL: Hnamte own-goal gives Punjab lifeline in title race

Rahul Goyal / Focus Sports / ISL

Here are the games this week, with their reports below (latest match first):

May 01: Jamshedpur FC vs FC Goa (7:30pm)

May 02: NorthEast United FC vs Inter Kashi (5pm)

May 02: SC Delhi vs Punjab FC (7:30pm)

May 04: Odisha FC vs Bengaluru FC (7:30pm)

May 05: Mumbai City FC vs East Bengal FC (7:30pm)

May 06: Punjab FC vs Chennaiyin FC (7:30pm)


Punjab FC 1-0 Chennaiyin FC

(Lalrinliana Hnamte (OG) 83')

Punjab FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Chennaiyin FC in their encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday.

A late own goal by Chennaiyin FC midfielder Lalrinliana Hnamte in the 84th minute proved to be the sole difference in a tightly contested affair. The result rewards the hosts for their attacking persistence, while Chennaiyin were left frustrated after a solid defensive display was undone in the closing stages.

With this crucial victory, Punjab move into sixth place with 18 points from 10 matches, pushing Bengaluru FC down to seventh, while also keeping themselves in the title race. Meanwhile, Chennaiyin FC remain rooted to 12th position with nine points from 11 matches.


Mumbai City FC 1-2 East Bengal FC

(Brandon Fernandes 8'; Youssef Ezzejjari 58' p, Nandha Kumar 71')

East Bengal FC came from behind to defeat Mumbai City FC 2-1 at the Mumbai Football Arena, with second-half goals from substitutes Youssef Ezzejjari and Nandha Kumar, overturning Brandon Fernandes' early strike.

East Bengal produced a strong second-half display to claim three points and move to the top of the table with 21 points from 10 matches, ahead of Jamshedpur FC on goal difference. Mumbai City FC, meanwhile, slipped to fifth with 19 points from 11 matches, suffering their first home defeat of the season.

Petr Krátký's side started on the front foot with early pressing, but centre-backs Sibille and Anwar Ali stood firm in the opening exchanges. Despite that, the hosts struck first. In the 8th minute, left-back Akash Mishra's long throw into the box created commotion, and midfielder Brandon Fernandes reacted quickest to fire a left-footed shot into the top left corner.

East Bengal FC gradually grew into the game but struggled to break into the final third.

Óscar Bruzón made three attacking changes at half-time, introducing forward Miguel Figueira, striker Youssef Ezzejjari and midfielder Souvik Chakrabarti. The impact was immediate, as East Bengal pushed higher and began to test the Mumbai City defence.

The equaliser arrived in the 58th minute. Following a challenge by Kauko inside the box, East Bengal were awarded a penalty. Substitute Ezzejjari stepped up and converted with a powerful strike into the bottom corner, despite Lachenpa guessing the right way.

Mumbai City attempted to respond quickly. Chhangte forced a sharp save from Gill in the 61st minute, but East Bengal held firm. Around the 71st minute, the visitors took the lead.

After a move initiated by Figueira, substitute Nandha Kumar cut in from the left and struck from the edge of the box. The effort took a slight deflection off defender Bijay Chhetri and beat Lachenpa to make it 2-1.


Odisha FC 1-1 Bengaluru FC

(Rahim Ali 35' - Braian Sanchez 48')

Bengaluru FC were held to a 1-1 draw by Odisha FC in the Indian Super League 2025-26, as Braian Sánchez's second-half penalty cancelled out Rahim Ali's opener in a closely contested encounter at Fatorda on Monday.

Despite dominating possession for large spells, the Blues were unable to break down a resolute Odisha defence and could only rescue a point. They remain sixth in the standings with 17 points from 11 matches, maintaining their unbeaten away record, while Odisha FC remain 13th with seven points from 10 matches.

The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute through a swift transition. Lalrinfela Khiangte intercepted a throw-in and released Rahim Ali with a perfectly weighted through ball. The forward showed composure to race into the box and finish low into the bottom corner past Gurpreet Singh, handing Odisha a crucial advantage.

Bengaluru responded with increased urgency before the break but failed to register a meaningful effort on target, as Odisha's defensive unit, marshalled by Carlos Delgado, held firm. The Juggernauts carried their lead into half-time after a disciplined first-half display.

Pep Muñoz side found their breakthrough early in the second half following a tactical change. Substitute Soham Varshneya made an immediate impact, drawing a foul inside the penalty area in the 47th minute. Braian Sánchez stepped up and emphatically converted the spot-kick, firing into the top corner to restore parity.

Buoyed by the equaliser, Bengaluru intensified their attacking efforts, creating a flurry of chances around the hour mark. However, Odisha survived a sustained spell of pressure, with Anuj Kumar producing crucial saves and defenders Carlos Delgado and Thoiba Singh making vital blocks to deny Sánchez, Sivasakthi, and Soham in quick succession.


SC Delhi 0 - 0 Punjab FC

Punjab FC's push for an unlikely ISL title suffered a blow as they were held to a goalless draw by Sporting Club Delhi. The result meant Punjab remained seventh in the table with 15 points, six points behind leaders Jamshedpur but with two games in hand. Delhi meanwhile, rose above NorthEast United in the table, with 10 points from 10 games keeping them in tenth place.

Punjab could have been 2-0 up inside 20 minutes of the first half, but Nora Fernandes made some crucial saves in the Delhi goal, although Manglenthang Kipgen and Nsungusi Effiong could have done better with their opportunities. Delhi were sloppy with the ball and kept affording the visitors plenty of chances, while offering little threat themselves.

However, the hosts gradually grew into the game as Punjab's ascendancy diminished with Joseph Sunny finding some joy for Delhi. It was Punjab's turn to then praise their fortune as they ought to have gone a goal down on the stroke of half-time. Devendra Murgaokar flicked on a floated ball from the right past Bijoy Varghese onto Matija Babovic in acres of space in the box, but the Serbian striker blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

Delhi almost went ahead in the hour mark when Sourav K ghosted past multiple challenges to burst into the box and powered a rising drive towards goal, only for Arshdeep Singh to make a fingertip save and tip the ball over the bar. Delhi went close again soon after when Sunny ran onto a long ball from deep, got the better of Pramveer in the box and lofted a shot over the onrushing Arshdeep only to watch in agony as it flew over the bar.

Punjab huffed and puffed as they went in search of the winner as the game progressed, with Dani Ramírez making forays but unable to find the finishing touch. That proved to be the theme of the game as the referee blew for full-time with the goal untroubled by either side.


NorthEast United FC 3 - 2 Inter Kashi

(Jithin MS 45+2', Andy 63 '(P), Parthib Gogoi 90' - Sergio Llamas 71', Mohammed Asif Khan 82')

NorthEast United earned their second victory of the season, defeating ten-man Inter Kashi by a 3-2 scoreline, with Parthib Gogoi scoring a late winner for the hosts after Wayne Vaz was sent off on the hour mark. The result moves NEUFC up to tenth in the table, a point behind Kashi who are eighth with 11 points.

A quiet first half came to life in the 37th minute as Jairo Samperio burst into the box and powered a low drive through his marker's legs across goal, only for the ball to strike the upright and rebound to safety. However, the NorthEast striker remained full of fight and endeavour, as he overpowered Sandip Mandi before skipping past Vaz and playing the ball square to Jithin MS in the box, and the NorthEast winger responded with a rising drive into the top corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead going into the break.

Kashi's hopes of a comeback were seemingly blown to smithereens on the hour mark, as Vaz dragged Jairo back with a last-man challenge in the box after the NorthEast striker was well clear of him after running onto a through ball from Andy - resulting in a penalty and a red card. Andy stepped up and calmly slotted the ball to the keeper's right with Shubham Dhas going the wrong way, as NorthEast led 2-0.

However, the hosts almost gifted a way back to Kashi soon after as they lost the ball in their own half, but Alfred Moya blazed over when bearing down on goal. Kashi's profligacy didn't come to haunt them as Sergio Llamas reduced the deficit in the 71st minute with a wonderfully struck free-kick that sneaked past the wall and into the bottom corner, leaving Gurmeet Singh no chance.

Ten-man Kashi showed plenty of fight, and earned their just rewards in the 82nd minute with the equalizer. A poorly struck corner looked to have landed perfectly for Sumeet Passi, but he mistimed his kick and the ball trickled to Mohammed Asif Khan on the penalty spot and he scuffed a finish into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.

The drama in this contest was far from over as NorthEast grabbed the lead with seconds to go in regulation time. A cross from the left following a throw-in caused chaos in the Kashi box, and the ball looped from a clearance high into the air. Gogoi was on hand at the far post, and volleyed a low shot into the opposite bottom corner to give NorthEast the lead, and consequently the victory, despite the best efforts of Gurmeet to charge out of the goal and gift Kashi another equalizer, only for Jayesh Rane to miscue his shot at an empty net.


Jamshedpur FC 2 - 0 FC Goa

(Mohammed Sanan 83', Madih Talal 90+6')

Jamshedpur FC secured a crucial 2-0 victory against FC Goa in Indian Super League 2025-26 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Friday. After a goalless first half dominated by Jamshedpur, Mohammed Sanan broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute, before Madih Talal sealed the win deep into stoppage time. JFC moved to the top of the table with 21 points from 11 matches, while FC Goa slipped to third with 19 points.

The match began with FC Goa seeing more of the ball. In the opening minute, forward Muhammed Nemil tested goalkeeper Albino Gomes from distance. Play was briefly halted due to a thunderstorm before resuming with Jamshedpur gradually asserting control. The hosts created the better chances as the half progressed. Around the 24th minute, winger Mohammed Sanan forced a low save from goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, while midfielder Lalhriatpuia Chawngthu and defender Nikhil Barla both went close from range. Midfielder Madih Talal, influential throughout, saw a header drift wide before testing Tiwari again just before the half-time break.

Jamshedpur continued to dictate play after the restart, with Talal and Nikola Stojanović controlling the midfield. FC Goa struggled to build sustained attacks, though Nemil and Yasir both tested Gomes from distance around the hour mark. Owen Coyle introduced midfielder Rei Tachikawa in the 74th minute, a move that proved decisive. Shortly after, striker Messi Bouli came close with a header from a set-piece.

The breakthrough arrived in the 83rd minute. From a corner delivered by Talal, Tachikawa's header bounced inside the six-yard box and Sanan with a cheeky flick from between Goa's defender Boris Singh leg put the ball inside the goal to give Jamshedpur the lead. FC Goa pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Jamshedpur remained composed at the back. In the sixth minute of added time, Bouli's aerial ball caused problems in the Goa defence as substitute Ronney Willson missed to clear the ball, and Talal capitalised on the loose ball with a precise strike from outside the box to seal the result. Jamshedpur FC held firm in the closing moments to secure a vital win and take control at the top of the table.