Kolkata : FC Goa will look to convert their recent draws into wins and remain unbeaten as they face Chennaiyin FC, before Bengaluru FC take on newly-promoted Inter Kashi in the second match of the day in the Indian Super League on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
In the early kick-off, Chennaiyin FC, playing their first home game of the season, will look to secure consecutive victories as they face FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai at 17:00 IST.
Later in the evening, Inter Kashi will welcome Bengaluru FC to the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, with the kickoff slated for 19:30 IST.
Both matches will be streamed live on FanCode and telecast on Sony Sports TEN 2.
Chennaiyin FC vs FC Goa
Chennaiyin FC head into the fixture with renewed confidence after securing their first victory of the season in a hard-fought Southern Derby. The Marina Machans currently sit eleventh in the standings with four points after inflicting a 1-0 away defeat on Kerala Blasters FC in Kochi, propelled by a 42nd-minute strike from Imran Khan.
They will face a formidable challenge in FC Goa, who, along with Mumbai City FC, remain the only unbeaten sides in the league. The Gaurs currently sit fourth in the standings with nine points.
Manolo Márquez’s men arrive in Chennai on the back of a resilient 1-1 draw against a 10-man Punjab FC in New Delhi, where Dejan Dražić’s 53rd-minute strike secured a crucial point after they had fallen behind in the first half.
The two sides share a rich and storied history in the ISL, famously clashing in the thrilling 2015 final won by Chennaiyin. However, FC Goa have historically dominated this fixture. In their 28 previous meetings, the Gaurs boast 16 victories compared to Chennaiyin’s nine, alongside three draws.
Speaking ahead of their home fixture, Chennaiyin head coach Clifford Miranda urged his team to build on their recent defensive solidity. “Getting our first win in Kochi was massive for the morale of the squad, especially keeping a clean sheet under intense pressure,” Miranda stated. “FC Goa are a top side, unbeaten and very well structured. We have to be disciplined, limit their space in the midfield, and take our chances on the counter-attack if we want to make our home stadium a fortress.”
Chennaiyin’s striker Daniel Chima Chukwu expressed the squad’s eagerness to reward their home fans. “Getting our first three points was a great feeling, but the job is only getting started. We are focused entirely on Goa now. If we play with the same fighting spirit and unity, we are confident we can secure another positive result in front of our supporters.”
FC Goa head coach Manolo Márquez, on the other hand, emphasised the need for greater clinical efficiency from his attackers. “We have shown that we are very difficult to beat, but we need to convert our dominance and possession into goals,” Márquez explained. “Chennaiyin will be highly motivated after their away win. We must dictate the tempo from the first whistle and be ruthless in the final third.”
With Chennaiyin aiming to spark a winning streak at home and FC Goa determined to preserve their unbeaten record while returning to winning ways, the clash in Chennai promises to be a fiercely contested battle.
Inter Kashi vs Bengaluru FC
Inter Kashi enter the fixture looking to bounce back from a narrow 1-2 home defeat to Mumbai City FC. Despite an energetic second-half performance where Rohit Danu’s 51st-minute header cancelled out Noufal PN’s opener, the debutants were undone by a quick reply from Lallianzuala Chhangte. Antonio Habas’s men currently sit ninth in the table with five points.
They will be up against a Bengaluru FC side that recently produced a defensive masterclass. The Blues sit sixth in the standings with eight points, coming off a gritty 0-0 draw where they became the first team this season to take points off league leaders Mohun Bagan SG. A heroic performance from goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and captain Rahul Bheke frustrated the Mariners’ star-studded attack.
It will be the fourth meeting in a third different competition between Inter Kashi and Bengaluru. They have met in the Super Cup and Durand Cup in the past. Their last meeting came in the 2024-25 Super Cup, where Inter Kashi triumphed in the Round of 16 on penalties.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Inter Kashi head coach Antonio Habas praised his team’s character but demanded more focus. “We fought until the very last second against Mumbai City and were unlucky to hit the crossbar twice. The character is there, but at this level, small mistakes are punished,” Habas noted. “Bengaluru FC showed against Mohun Bagan how defensively resolute they are. We will need to be patient, creative, and clinical when the opportunities arrive.”
Inter Kashi midfielder Sergio Llamas highlighted the squad’s relentless hunger. “We are a family, and we fight for each other. Bengaluru are a tough team, but we are playing at home, and we want to give our fans a victory to celebrate.”
For Bengaluru FC, the objective is to balance their newfound defensive stability with more potency in attack. Head coach Renedy Singh praised his side’s resilience but challenged his forwards to step up. “Holding the league leaders to a goalless draw gives us a massive foundation. The defence was outstanding,” Singh explained. “However, against Inter Kashi, we need to show more quality on the ball. They are a dangerous team on the transition, so we cannot afford to be complacent. We want to dominate and take all three points.”
The tactical battle between Habas’s resilient, hard-working unit and Renedy Singh’s defensively robust Bengaluru FC setup makes this encounter a compelling watch. Both sides will be desperate to execute their game plans and secure a crucial victory to climb toward the top half of the table.
