Hyderabad, Monday, May 4, 2026: Gokulam Kerala FC will face Aizawl FC in a relegation stage fixture of the Star Cement Indian Football League 2025-26 at the Deccan Arena on Tuesday, May 5. The kick-off is scheduled at 18:30 IST. The match is scheduled to kick off at 18:30 IST and will be broadcast live on DD Sports and Sony Sports Network, with streaming available on Waves and Sony LIV. With the league stage complete, the competition now moves into a decisive round-robin phase involving the bottom four teams. Each side has already played one match and will play two more, with the bottom two teams set to be relegated. Aizawl entered the contest high on confidence after a 2-1 win against Namdhari FC. Gokulam, meanwhile, will look to respond after a 0-3 defeat to Real Kashmir FC. The People’s Club leads the Relegation Phase standings with 12 points and will aim to strengthen its position. Gokulam sits on eight points and is in the relegation zone. A win would take them to 11 points, level with second-placed Real Kashmir.
Despite Aizawl’s current advantage, Gokulam holds the psychological edge from their last meeting, a 4-2 win on March 31. In a high-pressure relegation scenario, that result underlines both Gokulam’s attacking potential and the unpredictability of this contest. Defensively, Aizawl remains vulnerable, having conceded a league-high 23 goals. Centre-backs Timur Talipov and Rohmingthanga will need to improve organisation, with Laldanmawia and H Lalrempuia operating as full-backs. Gokulam is likely to target these weaknesses through Thabiso, who has four goal involvements this season (two goals and two assists), leading the line. He will be supported by Moses Lalrinzuala and Rahul on the wings, with the latter contributing four goal involvements (three goals, one assist). Mirjalol Kasimov and Shighil Nambrath will form the midfield pivot, while Vitor Barata operates as the primary creator in the No. 10 role.
Gokulam’s own defensive record, however, is also a concern. They have conceded 21 goals this season, second only to Aizawl, placing added responsibility on Sachu Siby, Bouba, Athul Unnikrishnan, and Nidhin Krishna to maintain organisation at the back. With Aizawl conceding 23 goals and Gokulam 21, both sides bring defensive frailties into a fixture defined by fine margins. While Aizawl aims to build on momentum and tighten its grip at the top, Gokulam faces a more pressing task: translating attacking promise into points while stabilising a backline that could determine their survival.
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