Kerala Blasters' Mikael Stahre underlines two 'key factors' that went wrong after loss against Mumbai City FC

It was a match packed with action and drama till the end.

Mumbai City FC claimed a thrilling 4-2 victory over Mikael Stahre’s Kerala Blasters FC at the Mumbai Football Arena, adding another blow to the Blasters season and leaving fans visibly frustrated.

The match saw Kerala Blasters fall to the 10th position in the ISL points table, with back to back defeats further increasing concerns about the team’s performance. Kerala Blasters coach Mikael Stahre addressed the media post-match to share insights about the game.

What did Mikael Stahre say about the loss?

Mikael Stahre addressed this by acknowledging Peprah’s strong performance but also expressing disappointment at his oversight. He acknowledged, “I think, first of all, many other people will remind him about this. We spoke about it straight after in the room, and he will never, ever make this mistake again. I’m really glad for Peprah’s performance on the pitch this evening.

“He’s always a threat to the opponent—strong and fast. He won one penalty for us and also scored a goal. But it will be a learning time for him. He knows that he put the team in trouble. We have already talked about it, and now it’s about moving on.”

Fans were also keen to know about key player Noah Sadaoui’s absence. Currently recovering from an injury, Noah’s presence in training fueled hopes for a return. “Noah Sadaoui is injured but he’s back on the training pitch. He is either back in the next lineup or after the FIFA break. He’s progressing well,” Mikael Stahre stated.

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Challenges faced by Kerala Blasters and errors that cost the game

One of the most talked about incidents involved forward Kwame Peprah, who, after scoring the equalizer, removed his shirt in celebration, drawing a yellow card that later proved problematic.

Mikael Stahre recounted the strengths of Peprah, that he plays aggressively and played a major factor in night things up. However, he would not refrain from pointing out Peprah’s critical mistake, emphasizing it as one of the learning moments for the young forward. This was not a minor slip-up from Kerala Blasters, but more so spoke volumes regarding disciplinary issues of the side in recent matches.

There have been many junctures this season when the Kerala Blasters have just not held their nerve, sometimes losing focus at times that cost them dearly. The early defensive lapses against Mumbai City FC allowed the hosts to get the better of them and thereby get them under pressure right from the start.

Finally, after the Blasters got briefly into rhythm in the latter half of the game, some setbacks, the caution of Peprah and later the defensive misjudgment, completely buried the chances of a comeback, which highlighted their inconsistency and immaturity on the ground.

Another very important factor Mikael Stahre spoke about at the press conference was the absence of Noah Sadaoui, one of their key influential players.

With that standing, Kerala Blasters cannot afford such recurrent setbacks, and Stahre’s comments reflect the need for tactical discipline, especially in managing momentum after scoring opportunities. This critical aspect needs attention, particularly against high-pressure teams like Mumbai City FC.

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