Kannur Warriors to host Forca Kochi at Jawahar Municipal Stadium in Super League Kerala on Oct. 9, 2026
Kannur Warriors FC will host Forca Kochi FC at the Jawahar Municipal Stadium in the Super League Kerala 2026 on 9 October 2026 at 7:30 pm IST, with the Warriors entering as defending champions. Forca Kochi arrive on the back of consecutive wins and will seek to extend their momentum, while Kannur aim to recover from a penalty-shootout defeat in their previous match.
This fixture opens the third round of Super League Kerala 2026 at the Jawahar Municipal Stadium and pits two teams with contrasting recent results against each other. Forca Kochi began the season with wins over Malappuram FC and Thrissur Magic FC, collecting five points and sitting level with Kannur Warriors at the top of the table. Kannur were knocked out of their last match by Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC on penalties after recovering from a goal down. Both clubs have clear short-term objectives: Forca to remain consistent at the summit and Kannur to return to winning ways at home.
Kannur’s penalty defeat to Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC carried notable incidents from their regular-time comeback and the shootout. Frederick Ansah Botchway produced the equaliser with a nutmeg finish past Satyajit Bordoloi to take the game to spot-kicks, and he contributed through pressing, interceptions and physical duels throughout the match. In the shootout, Ernesten Lavsamba and Asier Gomes sent their attempts over the bar and Varo Álvarez missed the third spot-kick, which proved decisive. Those missed penalties ended Kannur’s run and have left the champions seeking a positive response in front of their supporters.
Forca Kochi’s recent results have been underpinned by their goalkeeper Jaimy Joy, who is credited with a Player of the Match display against Thrissur Magic FC. The report notes Joy joined Forca Cruz last season and executed an early double save in that game—first denying Senthamil S and then keeping out a curling effort from Sergio Gil—before maintaining a clean sheet in normal time. During the penalty shootout he is recorded as diving rightly to deny Muhammed Afsal’s penalty, a save that helped Forca to a 4-1 shootout victory. Those interventions are presented as central to Forca’s momentum this campaign.
Both teams arrive without reported injury concerns or suspensions for the match. Kannur Warriors’ listed lineup is: Hajmal Sakeer (GK); Manoj S, Varo Álvarez, Vikas Saini, Sachin Sunil; Ernesten Lavsamba, Asier Gomes, Nijo Gilbert; Faslu Rahman M, Frederick Ansah Botchway, Muhammed Sinan. Forca Kochi’s listed lineup is: Jaimy Joy (GK); Nithin Madhu, Renan Araujo Rocha, Salman Kalliyath, Mohammed Salah, Nahuel Pereyra; Eliton Junior, Faris K; Harshal, Paulo Henrique, Alan Saji.
Frederick Ansah Botchway and Jaimy Joy are singled out as the principal players to watch in this meeting. The coverage describes Botchway as a Ghanaian midfielder who has become a central anchor for Kannur, able to transition into attack and produce decisive moments under pressure. For Forca, Joy is portrayed as the backbone of their defensive setup, regularly producing key saves in high-pressure situations and taking correct decisions in shootouts.
The match will be broadcast domestically on Zee5 with linear coverage on Unite8 Sports, while viewers in the UAE can follow the game on Etisalat; further updates are available via Khel Now’s social channels and apps.