Second half substitute Penn Orji scored the all-important goal in the 61st minute as Kerala notched up their third win in nine matches to jump to third spot in the league standings.
Delhi made as many as half a dozen changes in their starting line up from the one that lost 1-4 against FC Goa in their last match here, with captain Alessandro Del Piero taking the field after sitting out of a match but it was same old story for the home side as they slumped to their fourth loss in the tournament at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The final pass or the final strike never came. Del Piero was at the thick of things with his free-kicks, corner kicks and a few fine passes but all went abegging.
Del Piero had flashes of his old trickery but did not result to any success. He sent Malsawmtluanga on the clear with a fine pass in the 27th minute but the Indian midfielder failed to control the ball properly under pressure from a defender.
But, team-mate Adil Khan, who was also going for the ball, stood in the way and blocked it, unintentionally though. The ball went towards the right corner and was cleared by defender Cedric Hengbart.