Chennai, December 28: Bengaluru FC triumphed over Chennaiyin FC with a 4-2 win at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight.

Ryan Williams scored a brace and Sunil Chhetri was also on the scoresheet as Bengaluru FC (27) reduced the deficit at the top with Mohun Bagan Super Giant (29) to only two points with the year coming to an end. Irfan Yadwad and Lalrinliana Hnamte were on the scoresheet for Chennaiyin FC.

The game started with great intensity from the first minute with Rahul Bheke testing Mohammed Nawaz with a header on target. Daniel Chima Chukwu almost handed the lead to the hosts three minutes later, when Lukas Brambilla unleashed him with a defence-splitting pass. The Nigerian’s subsequent effort was blocked by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in goal.

Despite having more of the ball in the first quarter of the game, the Marina Machans were pegged back when Ryan Williams nestled the ball into the net from a cross delivered by Jorge Pereyra Diaz in the 16th minute. BFC 1 – 0 CFC

But Bengaluru FC’s lead lasted only three minutes as the Marina Machans were rewarded for their sustained pressure with Irfan turning in the equaliser in the 19th minute. It was Brambilla, who was the orchestrator of the goal as he won possession in midfield before he found Irfan with a smart square pass in the penalty area. BFC 1 – 1 CFC

In the 43rd minute, Bengaluru FC took the lead through Sunil Chhetri, against the run of play. Williams found Chhetri in the penalty area completely unmarked with a cross and the record goal-scorer didn’t make any mistake to head it past Nawaz. BFC 2 – 1 CFC

However, Chennaiyin FC clawed their way back right at the stroke of half-time when Gurpreet mismanaged a Lalrinliana Hnamte header following a long throw-in from Bikash Yumnam. BFC 2 – 2 CFC

Chennaiyin FC were the dominant side throughout the first half as they pressed higher up the pitch and won possession in dangerous areas to initiate counter-attacks. However, they weren’t clinical enough to take their chances as the scores were level at the break.

The Marina Machans continued their high press in the second half as they were inducing mistakes from the Bengaluru FC defenders. However, it also meant that the visitors had acres of space behind the Chennaiyin FC defence for them to exploit.

Bengaluru FC almost found the lead in the 56th minute, when Pedro Capo combined with Pereyra Diaz in the final third. However, the former’s effort was parried away by Nawaz. The Blues gradually gained momentum with the likes of Pereyra Diaz, Noguera and Williams getting into the mix of things. They were eventually rewarded when Pereyra Diaz made a timely cut-back to find Williams in the penalty area and the Australian slotted it past Nawaz to put Bengaluru FC ahead in the game in the 69th minute. BFC 3 – 2 CFC

Right after taking the lead, Gerard Zaragoza brought on Aleksandar Jovanovic and Vinith Venkatesh to replace Noguera and Chinglensana Singh to strengthen the backline. In retaliation, Owen Coyle freshened things up with Kiyan Nassiri, replacing Farukh Choudhary in attack.

However, things turned bad to worse for the Marina Machans as Williams’ cross was turned in by Laldinliana Renthlei into his own net in the 82nd minute, handing Bengaluru FC a two-goal advantage. In the last few minutes, Chennaiyin FC had a few openings but they weren’t clinical enough to reduce the deficit as they lost five out of their last six games in the competition. BFC 4 – 2 CFC

Key Performer of the Match
 
Ryan Williams (Bengaluru FC)

The Australian winger was a livewire on the field for Bengaluru FC tonight. He registered a brace while also clocking an assist. He also registered eight crosses and a solitary interception. Williams completed 23 out of his 31 attempted passes.


What next for both teams?

Bengaluru FC will face Jamshedpur FC on January 4 whereas Chennaiyin FC will play Odisha FC on January 9.

Brief Scores

Chennaiyin FC 2 (Irfan Yadwad 19’ Lalrinliana Hnamte 45+2’) – 4 Bengaluru FC (Ryan Williams 16’ 68’ Sunil Chhetri 43’ Laldinliana Renthlei OG 82’)

Stat Pack

Hyderabad, December 28: Hyderabad FC and East Bengal FC played out a 1-1 draw at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 this evening. The home side maintained 56.7% of the possession and produced a greater passing accuracy of 87% as opposed to the 74% of their opponents. However, they had to wait right until the 90th minute mark to win a point from this match against the Red & Gold Brigade that had won their last two matches on a trot.

Hyderabad FC made the first move as the proceedings kicked off, as the duo of Isaac Vanmalsawma and Joseph Sunny interlinked in the final third after two minutes to test the East Bengal FC defence. Issac’s pass was laid out for Joseph outside the box, but, instead of engaging in further build-up, the latter attempted a shot from distance that was blocked in time.

The home side kept the pressure up in the following few minutes, compelling Hijazi Maher to concede a corner in the 11th minute. As a consequence of that set-piece, Manoj Mohammad pulled off an aerial effort from the centre of the 18-yard box that missed the target on the right side.

What followed thereafter was a guarded affair with neither of the two sides being able to produce clear cut chances. There was a spate of corners and free-kicks being won, but nothing substantial came out of those moves, until Edmilson Correia dazzled on the left side of the 18-yard box after receiving a pass from Isaac in the 41st minute, adjusted his movement and thundered a shot that missed hitting the woodwork by a whisker on the right side.

Two minutes into the second half, Correia again sprang into action, deftly receiving a lateral delivery in the centre of the box from Cy Goddard, but shot it off target on the right side despite being in close distance from the goal.

It took a fantastic free-kick from Cleiton Silva in the 64th minute to create the move that broke the deadlock in this match. Dimitrios Diamantakos won a foul and Silva stepped up on the ball and discharged an impressive delivery that smashed the crossbar, only to find Jeakson Singh pounce upon the rebound and bundle it into the centre of the net to get the visitors ahead, arguably against the run of momentum.

Hyderabad FC dug deep in the game though, making some compelling moves to find the equaliser. Eventually, it required some quick thinking from Correia as late as in the 90th minute mark to drag his side back after the setback they received from Jeakson’s goal.

Hyderabad FC had the duo of Lenny Rodrigues and Devendra Murgaonkar coming in as substitutes in the 85th minute and fresh legs certainly swayed the game in their favour, with Murgaonkar making an instant impact through an outside-of-the-box shot that was set up for him by Abdul Rabeeh. It didn’t land on target, but showed that the home side was getting on the offensive, before Correia trusted Manoj by passing the ball to him on the left side of the box when he had an opportunity to bury the goal to cap off a quick attacking move. Manoj repaid the faith by holding his composure and dispatching the ball into the bottom right corner to rescue a point for his side from this game.

Key Performer of the Match

Manoj Mohammed (Hyderabad FC)

The defender completed 38 out of his 44 attempted passes, making one interception, three clearances, and demonstrating tremendous command under pressure to score his side’s only goal of the game.

What’s next for both teams?

Hyderabad FC will play their next game against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on January 2. East Bengal FC are set to clash against Mumbai City FC on January 6.

Brief Scores

Hyderabad FC 1 (Manoj Mohammed 90’) – 1 East Bengal FC (Jeakson Singh 64’)

Stats Pack

New Delhi, December 26: Mohun Bagan Super Giant returned to winning ways with a 3-1 – after falling behind, triumph over Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight.

Punjab FC struck first, courtesy of a great strike from Ricky Shabong whereas the Mariners retaliated with a strong second-half performance which saw Alberto Rodriguez score a brace while Jamie Maclaren converted from the spot.

It was a swift start for the hosts as Nikhil Prabhu tried his luck from long range and struck the crossbar, handing the Mohun Bagan Super Giant defenders and Vishal Kaith a wake-up call early on. In the 12th minute of the match, the visitors were again caught ball-watching and this time Punjab FC made them pay, courtesy of a brilliant solo effort from Ricky Shabong. The young midfielder found a pocket of space on the left flank and drove forward. He eventually nestled the ball into the net past Kaith as the defenders failed to close down the space in the penalty area.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant almost came up with the equaliser when Asish Rai found himself in space and made a great volley on target. But Punjab FC custodian Ravi Kumar was alert to the danger as he parried it away. While the Mariners were clearly lacking a creative outlet on the field, Punjab FC’s all-Indian backline also made life difficult for Jason Cummings and Maclaren upfront. The most impressive of the lot was Pramveer Singh, who became the youngest player to start an ISL match at the age of 17 years and 189 days.

The second half started strongly for the visitors as Rodriguez rose highest from a corner delivered by Cummings to turn in the equaliser in the 48th minute. It was an excellent delivery as the Spaniard reacted before Ravi Kumar to head it home. This was Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s seventh goal from a corner this season, the highest in the competition.

Three minutes later, things turned from bad to worse for Punjab FC as Ezequiel Vidal was penalised for a challenge on Liston Colaco. He was initially booked for the foul and was later sent off for dissent, reducing the hosts to 10 men.

Jose Molina’s men were rewarded for their persistent pressure as the referee pointed to the spot after Anirudh Thapa was brought down in the penalty area. Maclaren stood up to the spot and hammered it home, handing Mohun Bagan Super Giant the lead in the 63rd minute. Eventually, they scored the third goal in the 69th minute when Thapa turned creator following a corner and found Rodriguez in space in the penalty area. The Spaniard made no mistake in completing his brace.

Molina turned to Sahal Abdul Samad in the 78th minute replacing Maclaren and he almost increased the lead but his effort was parried away by Ravi Kumar. Eventually, the visitors did enough to secure all three points as they ended their year five points clear atop, with 29 points as compared to the second-placed Bengaluru FC’s 24.

Key Player of the Match
 
Alberto Rodriguez (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

The Spanish defender scored two crucial headers to bring the visitors back into the game in the second half. Rodriguez also held his lines brilliantly after conceding early on. He clocked three interceptions and two clearances while completing 43 out of 49 attempted passes.


What next for both teams?

Both teams will now play in the new year, with Mohun Bagan Super Giant returning home to host Hyderabad FC next on January 2 whereas Punjab FC will lock horns against Kerala Blasters FC on January 5.

Brief Scores
Punjab FC (Ricky Shabong 12’) 1 – 3 Mohun Bagan Super Giant (Alberto Rodiguez 48’ 69’ Jamie Maclaren 64’)

Stats Pack

Hyderabad, December 23: NorthEast United FC wrapped up their two-game-long losing streak and put in a display of confidence, by coming from two goals behind to secure a 5-2 victory against Hyderabad FC at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 tonight. Hyderabad FC, who had conceded six goals post the 60th minute mark this season prior to this match, added three more to that tally as NorthEast United FC struck thrice in the final 30-odd minutes to move two places up at the sixth spot in the points table. This was Hyderabad FC’s first loss after a nine-game-long unbeaten streak against NorthEast United FC.

Hyderabad FC pressed on the offensive from the beginning, as Edmilson Correia took the onus with a solo effort in the fifth minute. He dazzled into the box from the left flank and beat challenges from Dinesh Singh and Asheer Akhtar with some quick footwork to drill the ball into the bottom left corner to get an early lead. HFC 1 – 0 NEUFC

Seven minutes later, Cy Goddard controlled the ball impeccably in a pocket of space down the middle outside of the 18-yard box. He played a pass for Sourav K on the right flank, who’s perfectly weighted cross was met on a bounce by Correia before he dispatched it into the bottom right corner to notch his brace. HFC 2 – 0 NEUFC

However, NorthEast United FC were not overawed by the early passage of play and soon began dissecting the Hyderabad FC defence with ease. In the 18th minute, Jithin M.S. took a shot from inside the box, but the ball’s pace was cut down by a crowded box, before Guillermo Fernández lapped upon a loose ball and hammered it into the centre of the goal to cut the deficit. HFC 2 – 1 NEUFC

While the home side managed to see off the rest of the half without any major threats to goal, NorthEast United FC’s attacking onslaught picked up intensity in the second essay.

In the 54th minute, Macarton Nickson brought out a creative shot from distance, which was intended to hit the right side of the goal. The shot, however, took a deflection off Lenny Rodrigues and landed nearly in the middle of the net to equalise the scores. It was eventually awarded as an own goal by the Hyderabad FC midfielder. HFC 2 – 2 NEUFC

Seven minutes later, Guillermo got the visitors the lead, after a link-up play with Alaaeddine Ajaraie. The Hyderabad FC defence wore a slightly disoriented look when Ajaraie attempted a powerful shot from the edge of the box. The effort lacked precision, but the deflection was ably pounced upon and slotted into the bottom right corner by Guillermo. HFC 2 – 3 NEUFC

NorthEast United FC began exploring an array of chances to break down the Hyderabad FC backline thereafter. Mohammed Bemammer undertook a direct approach when he hauled in a long ball from the centre of the field, and it was met perfectly by Ajaraie, who nodded it beyond goalkeeper Karanjit Singh to secure a safe advantage for his team in the 73rd minute. HFC 2 – 4 NEUFC

Five minutes later, Alex Saji committed an error resulting in another own goal for the home team. Parthib Gogoi, who had come off the bench, received a long pass inside the box and tried to net it from an acute angle on the left flank. The effort didn’t have enough vigour behind it but Saji ended up directing it inside the net after the ball diverted off his lumping challenge, capping off a five-goal outing for the Highlanders. HFC 2 – 5 NEUFC

Key Performer of the Match

Guillermo Fernández (NorthEast United FC)

The attacking midfielder completed 16 out of his 22 attempted passes, making a solitary tackle, and scoring two important goals too.

What’s next for both teams?

Hyderabad FC will play their next match against East Bengal FC on December 28. NorthEast United FC will be squaring off against Mumbai City FC on December 30.

Brief Scores

Hyderabad FC 2 (Edmilson Correia 5’ 12’) – 5 NorthEast United FC (Guillermo Fernández 18’ 61’, Lenny Rodrigues OG 54’, Alaaeddine Ajaraie 73’, Alex Saji OG 78’)

Stat Pack

Kochi, December 22: Kerala Blasters FC returned to winning ways with a dominant 3-0 triumph over Mohammedan SC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight. With this win, the home team completed a league double over Mohammedan SC this season.

A stellar second half performance from Kerala Blasters FC saw the likes of Noah Sadaoui and Alexandre Coeff get on the scoresheet along with an own goal from Bhaskar Roy.

The first half hour of the game saw both defences holding their shape and thwarting the opposition’s attack. However, the hosts had a few half chances with Noah orchestrating most of the moves. He combined with Kwame Peprah brilliantly before the drinks break but the Ghanaian’s header was too tame to trouble Roy in goal.

The final quarter of the first half saw Kerala Blasters FC dominate possession, whereas Mohammedan SC were happy to sit back and hold their lines.

However, Kerala Blasters FC eventually created the best opening of the first half when Adrian Luna found Noah in the box with a long ball. The Moroccan headed the ball towards an onrushing Korou Singh. However, the youngster’s header struck the post before Peprah nestled the side netting, summing up the first period which saw only a solitary shot on target.

Kerala Blasters FC continued their dominance in the second half with Milos Drincic coming very close to breaking the deadlock from a corner delivered by Luna. The defender rose the highest from the corner and made a great connection but he was denied by Bhaskar, who made a diving save to keep the visitors in the game. Luna found Drincic in the subsequent corner as well but this time he headed it wide.

Kerala Blasters FC finally broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute courtesy of an error from Bhaskar Roy. The Mohammedan SC custodian misjudged a corner kick from Luna as he tried to punch it out instead of gathering the ball. Therefore he deflected the ball into his own net, opening the scoring for the game.

In the meantime, Kerala Blasters FC almost doubled the lead with Korou squaring it to Luna in the box. But before it could reach him, Zodingliana Ralte cleared it away. In the 71st minute, Andrey Chernyshov unleashed Cesar Manzoki replacing Carlos Franca upfront in search of an equaliser.

However the hosts doubled their lead in the 80th minute when Korou found Noah in the penalty area after Luna’s corner kick was cleared away. The Moroccan was in acres of space to direct a thunderous header into the bottom right corner.

Meanwhile, Kerala Blasters FC brought in Alexandre Coeff and Lalthanmawia Renthlei to close out the game. The Frenchman made an instant impact as he scored the third goal for the hosts in the 90th minute. He found himself at the end of a cross from Luna and hammered the ball home to seal their fourth win of the campaign.

Key Performer of the match

Adrian Luna (Kerala Blasters)

Although Luna registered a solitary assist, he played a key role in creating all three goals on the night. He also put in the hard yards throughout the ninety minutes. He created six chances whilst putting in 10 crosses. He also had a tackle and interception while clocking 79% passing accuracy.

What next for both teams?

Mohammedan SC will play Odisha FC on December 27 whereas Kerala Blasters will face Jamshedpur FC next on December 29.

Brief Scores 

Kerala Blasters 3 (Bhaskar Roy OG 62’ Noah Sadaoui 80’ Alexandre Coeff 90’) – 0 Mohammedan SC. 

Stat Pack

East Bengal FC will tour to take on Hyderabad FC at the Gachibowli Stadium to cap off the Saturday double header of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 tomorrow. The Red & Gold Brigade are winless since their triumph in the Kalinga Super Cup last month. Their 2-2 draw in the Kolkata Derby was followed with successive losses against NorthEast United FC and Mumbai City FC. Hence, their playoff prospects, which seemingly appeared to be bright a couple of weeks ago, are dwindling and need an urgent resurgence. The team is placed 10th in the table with two victories and five defeats in 13 encounters so far.

They have not won in the ISL in their last six matches, with their previous victory coming on December 4 against NorthEast United FC by a 5-0 margin. They would possibly be hoping that their aspirations receive a boost against Hyderabad FC, a team that is still searching for its first win of the ISL campaign. Few things have gone right for the hosts this year, but the form of East Bengal FC doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence at the moment either. This is an opportunity for both these teams to set things straight and possibly sow the seeds of a possible comeback into the scheme of things that could lead them to progress in the ISL.

What’s at stake?

Hyderabad FC

Hyderabad FC has scored the least goals amongst all teams in ISL 2023-24, having found the back of the net only five times in 14 matches. However, it is not a concern that they face against East Bengal FC, as they have netted in each of their seven fixtures in the league, the only team against whom Hyderabad FC has managed this feat. However, their current record doesn’t hold them in good stead.

They have not scored in their last five games, and another such match will make them only the second team after Chennaiyin FC (7) to go on a stretch of six games or longer without scoring in the ISL. The team has an inexperienced frontline right now, and head coach Thangboi Singto must in fact try devising new ways through which he can make the boys breach the opposition’s backline. Hyderabad FC is the only team to have failed to score from a set-piece so far this season, with all five of their strikes coming from open play. Should they look at that as an area they can work on to get better at?

East Bengal FC

East Bengal had won 2-1 against Hyderabad FC in their encounter earlier this season, and the coming match presents them an opportunity to record a league double over the team for the first time in ISL history. Their current six-game winless streak in the ISL is only surpassed by a similar 10-match-long run that they went on from January-October 2022. However, head coach Carles Cuadrat boasts of a formidable record over Hyderabad FC, averaging two points in his faceoffs against them.

Only against Odisha FC has his teams won more points (2.5) on an average, and it suggests that the Spaniard relishes taking on their forthcoming opposition. His team was hitting all the right chords this last month, but they derailed slightly after lifting the Super Cup. Cuadrat had admitted before the Kolkata Derby that a certain sense of complacency kicks in after winning tournaments and it is a tendency that he will want his players to overcome in the clash against Hyderabad FC.

Key Players

Sajjad Parray (Hyderabad FC)

Hyderabad FC is at a stage where it has to unearth new games to turnaround their prospects in this campaign. Sajjad Parray is one such player, donning a crucial role in the backline for them since the mid-season break. Across three appearances, he has tackled once, intercepted thrice, and made 12 interceptions.

Sajjad averages 21 passes per game at 69% accuracy and he will want to bring in more neatness on that front to help his team build up solidly from the back. The likes of Cleiton Silva, Naorem Mahesh Singh, and Nandhakumar Sekar have fared tremendously against stronger defences this year and hence the match presents a formidable challenge to Sajjad & Co. to come out triumphant at the end of 90 minutes.

Nandhakumar Sekar (East Bengal FC)

Nandhakumar Sekar has uplifted his game remarkably this season, scoring and assisting thrice each in 13 games. He has created 13 goal-scoring opportunities and taken 63.63% of his shots on target. Averaging 19 passes per game, he has recorded an accuracy of 74% and has shown that he has developed an eye to score a goal and set up one as well. Hyderabad FC has conceded 26 strikes across 14 games, which is the highest amongst all teams. With multiple changes amongst the personnel in the backline, they are prone to expose spaces and Nandhakumar and his fellow forwards can capitalise upon in the coming match.

Head-to-Head

Played – 7

Hyderabad FC – 4

East Bengal FC – 1

Draws – 2

Trivia: Hyderabad FC’s Alex Saji is averaging two blocks per game in ISL 2023-24, which is the highest amongst all players.

Team Talk

 “We as a team are trying our best. Is it enough? No, but it’s a learning process every day with all the youngsters and the very new staff that we have at the moment. But, we are planning as much as with our abilities and we are trying to execute in the training sessions properly,” Hyderabad FC head coach Thangboi Singto said in the pre-match press conference.

 “As I always say, we don’t find excuses. We have to change a lot of players to play against a top team like Mumbai City FC in the last match and the players who are playing gave their best, and they made their efforts,” East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat briefly recollected their 1-0 loss to the Islanders in their previous game.

ISL Fantasy

Nandhakumar Sekar (6.2cr)

Six goal contributions in ISL 2023-24

Naorem Mahesh Singh (5.8cr)

Always in the lookout for creating and scoring goals

Gurmeet Singh (3.9cr)

Reliable between the posts for Hyderabad FC

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Friday, February 16: Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG), buoyed by the unbeaten streak of FC Goa, is gearing up to host a similarly confident NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata to kick off the Saturday double header of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 on February 17 at 5 p.m. The Mariners must be understandably buoyant after managing to put brakes over a seemingly unstoppable FC Goa unit, that too in Fatorda.

Dimitrios Petratos rose to the occasion to deliver a decisive blow that will have ripple effects at the top of the table, and Antonio Lopez Habas must be looking to continue that impressive run when they welcome the Highlanders on Saturday.

On the other hand, NEUFC beat MBSG rivals East Bengal FC in a thrilling 3-2 encounter in Guwahati last Saturday. Powered by the incoming of striker Tomi Juric, their attack donned a sudden lethal look that took the Red & Gold Brigade aback immediately.

Interestingly, both sides head into this contest on the back of momentum and form favouring them. The Mariners had made light work of NEUFC when they last met in the ISL in December, but one must surely expect a more gripping and competitive contest this time around, given the context and circumstances.

What’s at stake?

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Slowly but steadily, Habas and his plans are taking shape in the MBSG unit. With their win against FC Goa, they have now kept clean sheets in consecutive matches for the first time in this ISL season. Despite three losses and two draws, along with the departure of Juan Ferrando as the head coach, the team has accumulated 26 points in the first 13 games of this ISL season – which is their highest tally at this stage of any campaign of the competition so far. Moreover, the eight victories they have garnered thus far is their most wins after the aforementioned number of matches as well, suggesting that things might not be as troublesome as it appeared to be at one point of the season for MBSG.

An interesting pattern in their gameplay is that they get into the groove after an initial period of adjustment, having yet to concede a goal and netted five times between minutes 16-30 of their matches in ISL 2023-24. Wins against Hyderabad FC and FC Goa have set them in the right rhythm and Habas wouldn’t want to lose out on this form, especially when playing at home, despite this being the third game that they will play in a week.

NorthEast United FC

The duo of Juric and Nestor Albiach joined hands to unlock a neatly organised East Bengal FC defence in the last game and they will step into this match with similar objectives. Impressively, NEUFC boast of a laudable goal-scoring record against MBSG already, having found the back of the at least once in each of their previous eight fixtures.

It is their longest such active streak against any team in the league. The victory against the Red & Gold Brigade was essential for their playoffs aspirations, considering that it brought curtains to their eight-game unbeaten streak in the ISL – in a period where they had seen five draws and three losses. A prospective win against the Mariners will help them secure consecutive wins in the ISL for the first time since January 2021, and Benali will desire such a run of his team to boost their form ahead of the final leg of the league campaign.

Key Players

Manvir Singh (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

Manvir Singh has been delivering consistent outputs in the frontline this season. His movements in the final third have been sharp, quick, and decisive. Manvir has been delivering important passes, mainly squaring up assists for forwards like Petratos and Jason Cummings. He has netted twice and notched three assists across 11 appearances in the ISL.

Manvir has created 15 goal-scoring opportunities, averaging 26 passes per game at an accuracy of 79%. He has won 15 aerial duels and 61.53% of his shots in the league have been hit on target. The winger will be eyeing making an impact in the forthcoming match, considering that there will be spaces open in the NEUFC backline if they take the attack to the opposition.

Tomi Juric (NorthEast United FC)

The Australian attacker has brought in newfound dynamism to NEUFC’s offensive endeavours. He has a formidable presence upfront and is dominant aerially too. Interestingly, he is deceptively quick on his feet and can turn swiftly in close spaces ensuring that he opens up newer ways for his teammates to put different sets of deliveries inside the box.

His two goals against East Bengal FC emanated quality and he visibly limited his role in and around the penalty box, averaging only seven passes per game, but ensuring that he was efficient and on target from positions that promised that the Highlanders could move ahead in the game. 66.66% of his shots have landed on target, and the team will be banking on similar consistency upfront at the home of the Mariners.

Head-to-Head

Played – 9

Mohun Bagan Super Giant – 6

NorthEast United FC – 2

Draws – 1

Trivia: NorthEast United FC is the only team yet to have a substitute score for them this season.

Team Talk

“We have the same squad as the last match. The objective is that we want to get three points. It depends on the opposition as well but our approach is to be positive,” Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Antonio Lopez Habas said in the pre-match press conference.

“My strategy is to make sure we do the best that we can. As I said, we are playing against a dinosaur! We need to be smart in our game and try to do the best we can,” NEUFC head coach Juan Pedro Benali mentioned ahead of the game. 

ISL Fantasy

Dimitrios Petratos (10.8cr)

Scored the winner against FC Goa

Manvir Singh (6.1cr)

Five goal contributions in ISL 2023-24

Nestor Albiach (4.6cr)

Creates and converts goal-scoring chances for NEUFC

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Points Table 

New Delhi, 15th Feb 2024: Jamshedpur FC continued their terrific run since the arrival of head coach Khalid Jamil as the Red Miners swept Punjab FC by 4-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi tonight in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2033-24. It was the first defeat for the Staikos Vergetis-coached side since the league resumed late last month, having notched two consecutive wins since then.

The game got off to a cracking start with end-to-end action ensuring enthralling action for the audience. A brace by Jeremy Manzorro, coupled with a strike each by Daniel Chima Chukwu and Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) graduate Mohammed Sanan capped off a clean and convincing outing. 

Nikhil Barla opened the floodgates with some sharp footwork on the right flank, making a turn towards the left before launching in a precise cross for Chukwu on the far post. The Nigerian met the delivery perfectly and nodded it home, but the home side looked to respond by hitting Jamshedpur FC on the counter with Wilmar Jordan Gil earning a spot-kick the very next minute. Luka Majcen, having netted a penalty in the last match, produced a disappointing effort with the ball merely rolling through the ground before being saved by TP Rehenesh to keep the scores level. 

Having gotten a foot ahead, the Red Miners went all out to put the game to rest in the second half. A frenetic passage of play in the final half an hour resulted in Jamshedpur FC netting thrice in the last 25 minutes. Manzorro shot from distance that Punjab FC goalkeeper Ravi Kumar failed to collect properly, and Sanan swung into play by merely chipping the ball over the custodian to double his side’s lead. 

Manzorro, who has arguably been the architect in chief of Jamshedpur FC’s latest resurgence, took the charge from there onwards, displaying his sublime skills from set-pieces by scoring two direct free kicks in the concluding 10 minutes of the game. Both goals were absolutely identical to each other, scored from a reasonable distance on the inside channel of the left flank in the 83rd and the 86th minute of the match respectively. 

The first one swung straight into the top of the net, whereas the second goal took a deflection off the post before settling in the back of the net. Both goals gave no chance to a fully stretched Ravi Kumar and effectively gave Jamshedpur FC the win. 

Key Performer of the Match

Jeremy Manzorro (Jamshedpur FC)

Manzorro completed 58 out of his 69 attempted passes, but it was his sheer exemplary effort of scoring two back-to-back free-kicks that stole the show and added four goals to an already formidable performance by the visitors. 

What’s next for both teams?

Jamshedpur FC will play their next match against East Bengal FC on February 22, whereas Punjab FC will lock horns with Hyderabad FC on February 27. 

Brief Scores 

Jamshedpur FC 4 (Daniel Chima Chukwu 11’, Mohammed Sanan 63’, Jeremy Manzorro 83’ 86’)

Goa, February 14th 2024: Mohun Bagan Super Giant ended the 12-match-long unbeaten streak of FC Goa in Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 by inflicting a 1-0 loss upon the Gaurs at the Fatorda Stadium tonight. 

A 75th minute winner by Dimitrios Petratos sealed the deal for the Mariners as they got a second consecutive victory under their belt and prevented Manolo Marquez & Co. from bridging the gap between them and league leaders Odisha FC. 

The home side teased the Mohun Bagan Super Giant as their personnel tested them from both set-pieces and open play in the first 20 minutes. Brandon Fernandes was at the forefront of it all, setting up deliveries for Carlos Martinez and Noah Sadaoui at different junctures. 

Martinez was caught off side from a promising position in the fifth minute, and one of Brandon’s own efforts from long-range was on target but couldn’t get past Vishal Kaith soon afterwards. Petratos quickly turned the tables with a sharp turnaround as he switched the ball on his feet and attempted to curl in a shot from distance in the 21st minute. Thankfully for FC Goa, goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh dived full stretched on his left to keep the scores level. 

Incidentally, the duo of Arshdeep and Petratos was at the centre of attraction yet again, in a move that decided the eventual fate of the game. The Mariners broke on the counter and a usually organised FC Goa backline seemed out of place, which Manvir Singh looked to capitalise upon by putting the ball past Arshdeep in the 74th minute. The goalkeeper, who had kept the most clean sheets in the league before this, made a hasty clearance that Petratos pounced upon and swirled over the custodian to bag the eventual winner of the contest. 

Key Performer of the Match 

Dimitrios Petratos (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

Petratos completed 20 out of his 25 passes, crossed twice, created a goal-scoring opportunity in addition to showing remarkable shooting accuracy from outside of the box to get the Mariners three points from the clash. 

What’s next for both teams?

Both Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa will play their next game against NorthEast United FC on February 17 and February 21 respectively. 

Brief Scores 

Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1 (Dimitrios Petratos 74’) – 0 FC Goa

Goa, February 13: The unbeaten FC Goa unit will welcome Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) as the two title contenders try to build pressure on table toppers Odisha FC at the Fatorda Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 at 7:30 pm IST on February 14, Wednesday.

With eight victories and four draws, the Manolo Marquez-coached side have been on a roll since the offset of the ISL campaign. They (28) are merely three points adrift of the Juggernauts (31) despite playing three (12) fewer games than Sergio Lobera & Co (15).

Winning this game, they will get level on points with Odisha FC and thus replace them at the pole position, thus staking a realistic claim of lifting the League Winners Shield. The team had inflicted mayhem upon the Mariners the last time these teams clashed in the ISL in December. Winning 4-1 courtesy of a Noah Sadaoui brace, the Gaurs made light work of the Kolkata-based side at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant raced to their first after four games when they overcame Hyderabad FC by 2-0 on Saturday. The team must be pleased with under-firing stars like Anirudh Thapa and Jason Cummings getting on the scoresheet, and will want their power-packed squad to strike in coordination to deliver improved performances in their coming 10 league matches.

What’s at stake?

FC Goa

FC Goa boasts of a formidable recent record against the Mariners, having won two out of their last three fixtures. However, a league double over the concerned opposition has eluded them still. Manolo Marquez will be eyeing to get that under their belt, as a victory against one of the competitors for the top spot will give their run in the season a significant boost. The Gaurs had incidentally failed to score in their latest league encounter at home, which was a goalless draw against Mumbai City FC.

Never has the team failed to find the back of the net twice consecutively at home, and hence one can bank on Carlos Martinez and his fellow forwards to be constantly teasing the Mohun Bagan Super Giant backline. The Gaurs have averaged 36 penalty area entries per game this season, which is the highest amongst all teams. In addition to this, they have conceded the least goals (6) amongst all teams and the entire team right from the back to the top appears to be functioning with tremendous coordination and consistency.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Mohun Bagan Super Giant are separated with league leaders Odisha FC (31) by eight points (23), having played three fewer games (12) than the Juggernauts (15). Despite the three consecutive defeats they faced in December and then the draw in the Kolkata Derby, the Mariners are well-placed to bridge this gap and have a definite chance of challenging for the League Winners Shield. The team has been on an impressive streak on the road lately.

They lost their most recent away encounter by 2-1 against Mumbai City FC, but were on a six-match unbeaten streak away from home before that. They have netted once each in each of their last five away games. The team has shown a remarkable spirit in storming their way back into games, having won eight points from losing positions in ISL 2023-24. The squad thus has it in it to ride over the difficulties they faced earlier in this campaign and if the win against Hyderabad FC is anything to go by, then an enthralling contest is on the cards for Wednesday.

Key Players

Jay Gupta (FC Goa)

The fullback has been a revelation for FC Goa this season, emerging as one of the finest fullbacks in the competition. With two goals and assists each, he has made his mark felt upfront in 12 appearances thus far. Jay Gupta has 12 interceptions, 20 clearances, and 25 appearances as he has been extremely active on the defensive front.

The 22-year-old has created 13 goal-scoring opportunities, averaging 42 passes per game at an accuracy of 75%. He scored a breath-taking equaliser against Odisha FC in the last match and will be eager to deliver another impactful outing in this major encounter. His skills at the back will be put to test by the likes of Manvir Singh and Dimitrios Petratos, and hence Gupta will have to find a fine balance between his duties on both ends of the pitch against the Mariners.

Sahal Abdul Samad (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

The Mohun Bagan Super Giant attacking midfielder has influenced proceedings extensively in his limited appearances in the league so far. With four assists in eight games, Sahal Abdul Samad has made his presence felt in the frontline, even setting up the equaliser by Petratos in the Kolkata Derby in the 88th minute of the match. He has been impressive in finding pockets of spaces in the final third and delivering key, precise passes that have been converted by his forwards. Sahal has averaged 27 passes per game, with a 78% accuracy overall. He has earned nine fouls, making six interceptions as well. Having taken eight shots, he has often been in the lookout for goals as well. Will he net for the first time this ISL season in the game against the Gaurs? Only time will tell.

Head-to-Head

Played – 7

FC Goa – 2

Mohun Bagan Super Giant – 4

Draws – 1

Trivia: Liston Colaco is one away from becoming the leading assist provider in Mohun Bagan Super Giant history. He is currently tied on 12 assists with Roy Krishna.

Team Talk

“My feeling is that we have two big injuries in Sandesh (Jhingan) and Victor (Rodriguez), and even then the playing style is practically the same. Some things in the team will or are changing. We need to adapt in our ideas, minus the situation, in some games I feel that we will play with two foreign centre-backs, which will be the first time that I will do that in India, or in some games we will play with an Indian and a foreign centre-back,” FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez said in the pre-match press conference.

“We are thinking about the entire team and our opponents, i.e. FC Goa, not one particular player, because for me the most important things are my players and my team. We can analyse our opponents, sure, but the focus must always be on our side,” Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Antonio Lopez Habas quipped ahead of the game.

ISL Fantasy

Jay Gupta (3.6cr)

Four goal contributions in the ISL this season

Arshdeep Singh (3.5cr)

Has helped the team keep seven clean sheets this season

Jason Cummings (9.1cr)

Scored in the last game vs Hyderabad FC

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Points Table

Punjab FC marched ahead in their path of progress with a sensational 3-1 win over Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 tonight. Often hailed as the bastion of the Yellow Army, Ivan Vukomanovic & Co. faced their first home defeat whereas Punjab FC picked their inaugural win on the road in the current ISL campaign.

The home side rode on their resounding support to peg Punjab FC back by creating key chances in the first half. Local boy Rahul KP squandered a sublime opportunity to draw the first blood, after Daiksuke Sakai spotted him inside the box from distance and swirled in a precise delivery. The forward had ample time to jump high, but he was unable to keep his headed effort on target.

However, central defender Milos Drincic ensured that the team didn’t regret Rahul’s missed opportunity for too long. Stationed upfront for a corner kick, Drincic pounced upon a hasty clearance by opposition custodian Ravi Kumar before drilling home a shot that gave the home side a lead in the 39th minute.

That joy didn’t last long though, as Punjab FC stormed back into the game, thanks to the recent boost they have received in the form of striker Wilmar Jordan Gil. The forward’s primal goal-scoring instincts came through brilliantly when he lapped upon a pass by Madih Talal in the final third, completed a quick turn to beat his marker and smashed the ball past Sachin Suresh to equalise the scores in the 42nd minute.

The striker roared the visitors back and overcame the deficit in the 61st minute, again, with Talal’s support. The Kerala Blasters FC defence didn’t embrace the most organised of looks and hence Talal didn’t show any mercy in bringing down a long ball inside the left side of the box and launching a cross for Gill on the far post. The forward was on target yet again, leaving Sachin little chance to do the saving graces. Any little hope of a Kerala Blasters FC comeback washed away with Slovenian striker Luka Majcen converting a spot-kick in the 88th minute. Unfortunately for Jordan, he was substituted out in the 75th minute, and was hence unable to secure a well-deserved hat-trick in Punjab FC colours.

Key Performer of the Match

Wilmar Jordan Gil (Punjab FC)

The forward completed 12 out of his 13 passes and created three goal-scoring opportunities in addition to intercepting once. However, his sharp striking skills stole the show as this brace will build significant confidence in the Punjab FC ranks for the coming games.

What’s next for both teams?

Kerala Blasters FC and Punjab FC will face Jamshedpur FC and Chennaiyin FC on February 15 and 16 for their respective next matches.

Brief Scores

Punjab FC 3 (Wilmar Jordan Gil 42’ 61’, Luka Majcen 88’) – 1 Kerala Blasters FC (Milos Drincic 39’)

Stats Pack:

Kolkata, 12 February, 2024: Mumbai City FC will face East Bengal FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on February 13, at 7:30 pm IST, in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24. Both teams head into this encounter after identical losses in their previous matches. The Islanders were handed a 3-2 defeat by Jamshedpur FC at HOME whereas the Red & Gold Brigade lost by a similar margin to NorthEast United FC in Guwahati on Saturday.

Placed fifth in the table after 12 games, Mumbai City FC and their hopes of defending the League Winners Shield haven’t gotten off to the best of starts. Still, they aren’t too far behind the league leaders Odisha FC, who have bagged 31 points from 15 encounters. Nine points is a distance they can hope to bridge with a three-game advantage, but big departures coupled with lack of recent form have not helped their cause.

The Red & Gold Brigade, on the other hand, have not really optimised the momentum they could have built after success in the Kalinga Super Cup. With just a point in two matches after that final, Carles Cuadrat knows he has work to do and secure the coveted playoffs qualification. The Islanders are arguably in a transition phase right now, and the Kolkata-based outfit could arguably not have come across a better chance to get one over the visitors.

What’s at stake?

East Bengal FC

For starters, East Bengal FC is unbeaten in their previous two league fixtures against Mumbai City FC. They have won and drawn once each out of those couple of matches, and will be looking to further that positive run of results in the coming game.

The team has a stomach for a fight, which reflected in them repeatedly trying to cut the deficit against the Highlanders last weekend. However, the backline wore a disoriented look that was capitalised upon Juan Pedro Benali’s side.

That needs to be addressed in the coming fixture, with Mumbai City FC and their track record of 20 goals in 12 matches showing that they can make hay against unorganised defences. Cuadrat has infused certain edginess in his players, as they are ever so eager to recover possession and commit to challenges.

The team has won 122 out of their attempted 162 tackles this season and their success rate of 75.3% is the highest amongst all teams in the competition, ensuring that the visitors won’t get a walk in the park in any phase of the forthcoming fixture.

Mumbai City FC

The Islanders were unbeaten in their first 10 matches of this season, but since then have been dealt with two defeats in their previous three games. The departure of head coach and multiple key stars midway through the season hasn’t done them any good either.

Amidst these concerns, Petr Kratky will be cognisant of looking after the team’s goal-scoring abilities. They have not found the back of the net in their last two consecutive away games. The last time the club endured a longer such stretch was of three games between November-December 2015.

Regardless of the recent form, their industriousness and tendency to look for breakthroughs inside the opposition’s box has never faced an issue in the current campaign. The team has been averaging 71 passes into the opposition’s final third in ISL 2023-24, which is the highest amongst all sides in the league.

Kratky will rely on his dynamic frontline to find solutions at a time when problems seem to be compounding for his team.

Key Players

Rahul Bheke (Mumbai City FC)

The responsibility is on the Mumbai City FC captain to ensure a smooth sailing amidst the challenging times that the club is enduring at present. Rahul Bheke has been solid defensively, helping the side keep four clean sheets in 11 appearances, intercepting 12 times, making 16 tackles, and recording 28 clearances as well.

Bheke has been creative in his forward forays too, creating five goal-scoring opportunities and averaging 47 passes at an accuracy of 82% per game. East Bengal FC and their frontline pushed NorthEast United FC to the hilt in the previous match, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for the equaliser. Mumbai City FC should be up for a similar challenge, as they cannot bask upon any early advantage either and Bheke will be banked upon to take care of the backline in such a scenario.

Nandhakumar Sekar (East Bengal FC)

Nandhakumar Sekar is arguably finally having his season of reckoning, netting thrice and making three assists in his 12 league appearances so far. He has struck a fine balance between backtracking and doing his defensive duties, playing a role in the build-up and then actively finishing off offensive moves.

Nandha has created 12 goal-scoring opportunities so far. He has hit seven out of his 11 shots on target and averaged nearly 20 passes per game. The attacker is a livewire in the frontline, earning eight fouls and has developed a fine tuning and understanding with the likes of Naorem Mahesh Singh and Cleiton Silva. His goal against the Highlanders oozed confidence and he would want to double upon that in the forthcoming fixture.

Read More

• https://www.indiansuperleague.com/news/we-made-things-easy-for-northeast-united-fc-at-the-start-east-bengal-fcs-carles-cuadrat

• https://www.indiansuperleague.com/news/it-was-a-game-of-mistakes-and-opportunities-mumbai-city-fcs-petr-kratky

Head-to-Head

Played – 7

Mumbai City FC – 4

East Bengal FC – 1

Draws – 2

Trivia: Naorem Mahesh Singh is one appearance away from completing 50 matches for East Bengal FC in the ISL.

Team Talk

“We have been demanding a lot of efforts from our players in the last few weeks. We will be using players who have been a part of the squad but have not gotten many minutes so far,” East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat claimed in the pre-match press conference.

“We have had a good week of preparation. The boys are looking very good, sharp, so the recourse has been very good in terms of preparation for the next game,” Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky remarked before the game.

ISL Fantasy

Nandhakumar Sekar (6.2cr)

Six goal contributions so far this season

Naorem Mahesh Singh (5.8cr)

Constantly in the lookout to make an impact upfront

Alberto Noguera (8.6cr)

Scored in the last match against Jamshedpur FC

If not registered already, fans can participate in the overall league or club-based leagues based on their preferences. Create private leagues, inviting friends and fellow football aficionados to compete. Prizes include a Sony PlayStation ®️ ️5 gaming console, EA Sports FC 24, signed club merchandise, and a Gift Card worth INR 20,000, which will be awarded to 100 winners at the end of the season. Sign up at: https://fantasy.indiansuperleague.com/

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Points Table

The Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 Matchweek 14 action saw 15 goals across six matches as 12 different scorers were on the mark to conclude another round of exciting contests in the top-tier. However, the number of goals were not the highlight of the past week, but it was instead, the intriguing action and tricky duels which caught the eye of everyone.

• A total of 159 shots were taken, boiling down to a whopping 26.5 ones per game
• 53 of the shots were taken on target, reflecting 33.3% accuracy on part of the players
• 65.51% of the attempted shots on target were saved by the goalkeepers or thwarted by the other team, demonstrating terrific defensive discipline.
• A total of 127 interceptions were made in Matchweek 14, with 21.16 of them being made on average per game.

o   Odisha FC had an eventful week as they broke no sweat in putting three past Hyderabad FC before FC Goa held the league leaders to a 1-1 draw in Bhubaneswar. Similarly, Bengaluru FC won 1-0 against Chennaiyin FC before drawing 1-1 to Jamshedpur FC on the road.

o   NorthEast United FC sneaked past East Bengal FC by 3-2 in a five-goal thriller in Guwahati whereas Mohun Bagan Super Giant made light work of Hyderabad FC with Anirudh Thapa and Jason Cummings finding the back of the net in a 2-0 victory.

o   Odisha FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and Bengaluru FC were the only sides who returned with a clean sheet amongst the nine teams in action last week. Here is a thorough breakdown of the action that ensued and what waits upon us in Matchweek 15.

Here’s a look at the highlights:

Odisha FC safe at the top

The Juggernauts grappled through three matches in seven days to secure seven points, and will now take a step behind with no encounters for them in Matchweek 15.

• Sergio Lobera and his side have not faced a league defeat since October 27 (2-1 vs Kerala Blasters FC)
• Topping the league in important offensive metrics like shot conversion (22%), shooting accuracy (51.2%), and passing (7119 excluding crosses, 81.3% completed)

Interestingly, the coming matchweek allows Kerala Blasters FC to get level with Odisha FC (15) in terms of matches played, and also get a one-point lead if they win both their games against Punjab FC and Chennaiyin FC

Similarly, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa will clash, with Lobera & Co. keeping close tabs on the movements being made by their nearest rivals. Goa has a chance to strike the sweet spot and equal Odisha FC in points (31) with a win, but the Mariners will be keen to gradually climb the eight-point gap between them and the Juggernauts with the three-game advantage that they possess after playing only 12 games so far.

Big week ahead for Bengaluru FC

Gerard Zaragoza has delivered a mixed bag of results since the return of the league, with a loss to Punjab FC followed by a win against Chennaiyin FC before drawing away from home at Jamshedpur FC.

• The Blues struck only once each and in all of these three games and they boast of the second worst shot conversion (11.6%) in the league at present.
• Bengaluru FC is yet to pick a win on the road this season, drawing thrice and losing five out of eight such games.

They seem to require a kick, or a move on to get things going, boasting of the best record in the league by picking six points from matches that they have conceded first in.

Next Sunday, they will take on Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena (MFA), a team that has the third-best record at home in ISL 2023-24, earning 14 points from seven of those games. Several factors come together to ensure an invigorating contest in all means.

FC Goa invincibility faces Mohun Bagan Super Giant test

With eight wins and four draws, the FC Goa bandwagon has found no stopping this season. They will now host the Mariners on February 14 and will hope that their terrific momentum sails through the challenge in hand again.

• The Gaurs are at the top of defensive metrics by a fair margin, conceding the least goals (6), facing the least shots (92, 21 on target), and keeping the most clean sheets (7) in the league until now
• They have the best accuracy (68%) from final third passes and have won seven points from losing positions so far in ISL 2023-24. With a solitary win in the last five league games, the Mohun Bagan Super Giant definitely face an uphill task against FC Goa.

NEUFC, East Bengal FC try to break out of crowded mid-table

NorthEast United FC rode on the Tomi Juric brace to secure three points against the Red & Gold Brigade, with four points (16 in 14 matches) and two additional games separating them from East Bengal FC (14 in 12 matches) currently. 

Having lost the second-most points (11) from winning positions this season, NEUFC needs to avoid those tendencies when they face the Mariners in Kolkata coming Saturday.

They will hope that Juric’s arrival, who has experience playing in Bulgaria, Croatia, and Australia, will help them improve in certain offensive endeavours, having recorded only 14% shot conversion and 37.2% shooting accuracy in the current ISL campaign.

Similarly, Carles Cuadrat & Co. will want to regroup in their upcoming fixtures against Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC. A draw and a loss after the Kalinga Super Cup final win threatened the positive momentum that they had garnered slipping away from them.

All eyes on revived Jamshedpur FC, Punjab FC

Jamshedpur FC and Punjab FC have presented a pretty picture since the league resumption, recording thumping wins over Mumbai City FC and Bengaluru FC this month.

Punjab FC faces Kerala Blasters FC and the Red Miners in Matchweek 15. Both their wins so far have come at home and hence they will be backing their odds against Khalid Jamil’s men, but the Manjappada will put forth an unforeseen challenge in front of the league debutants. Having lost seven points from winning positions so far, Staikos Vergetis will hope his team is better aware of managing such situations in the second half of the season.

• Jamshedpur FC will demand greater efficiency from their forwards, with their second-best exG (expected goals) count of 18.3 in the league resulting in only 17 strikes for the team.
• Their exG is only next to the top-placed Odisha FC (19.6) currently, and Jamil will want no slip-ups from his frontline after they squandered a few chances to oust Bengaluru FC at home in the 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Team of the Week – Matchweek 14

Goalkeeper: Gurmeet Singh (Hyderabad FC)

Defenders: Nikhil Poojary (Bengaluru FC), Subhasish Bose (Mohun Bagan Super Giant), Aleksandar Jovanovic (Bengaluru FC), Jay Gupta (FC Goa)

Midfielders: Suresh Wangjam (Bengaluru FC), Ahmed Jahouh (Odisha FC), Nestor Albiach (NorthEast United FC), Manvir Singh (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

Strikers: Tomi Juric (NorthEast United FC), Diego Mauricio (Odisha FC)

Average score: 31

Top scorers:

Jeremy Manzorro(JFC)-14

Imran Khan (JFC)- 14

Daniel Chukwu (JFC)- 13

Roy Krishna (OFC)- 10

Medih Talal (PFC) -10

Ones to watch

Sunil Chhetri (BFC)

Imran Khan (JFC)

Amey Ranawade (OFC)

Nishu Kumar (EBFC)

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Jamshedpur, 11 February, 2024: Jamshedpur FC restricted Bengaluru FC to a 1-1 draw at the JRD Tata Sports Complex to round off Matchweek 14 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 tonight. Suresh Singh Wangjam opened the scoring for the visitors with a screamer in the 14th minute, but Javi Siverio equalised in the second half to ensure that both teams settled for a point each from this lively encounter.

The Blues were chasing their fifth straight win against the Red Miners in the league, and they couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for the same. Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) graduate Chingambam Shivaldo Singh earned a place in the starting XI and he was tireless on the right flank, launching in a fierce delivery that was flicked by Sivasakthi Narayanan onto the path of Sunil Chhetri inside the box.

Sivasakthi and Chhetri were positioned parallel to each other a few yards away from Jamshedpur FC goalkeeper TP Rehenesh. However, Chhetri was in a very acute angle to the goal, and hence refrained from taking the onus upon him to unleash a shot at goal. He instead laid up the ball for the onrushing Suresh, who showed sharp instincts to deposit the ball in the top corner of the net and thus immersing in a jubilant celebration with the captain.

Jamshedpur FC didn’t let the goal get the better of them though. Their dynamic frontline kept pushing the buttons of the Bengaluru FC backline, getting into dangerous spots inside the box to test their luck against Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Rei Tachikawa came touchingly close to drawing the scores level before the half-time break, as a miscued effort by Elsinho was pounced upon and then hit straight at the crossbar by the Japanese star.

However, their moment of reckoning arrived courtesy of Siverio. Jeremy Manzorro’s corner kick in the 70th minute was half-heartedly cleared by the Blues, and the ball led to Imran Khan on the inside channel of the right flank. The attacker, who had scored once each in the previous two games, ensured that he made an impact tonight. He swung in a curling cross for Siverio that the midfielder headed inside the net with perfect precision, leaving no chance for Sandhu to save the graces this time around.

Key Performer of the Match

Suresh Singh Wangjam (Bengaluru FC)

The central midfielder made 21 passes and completed 17 of them, making two clearances and three tackles during his hour-long stay on the field. He earned five fouls and struck a thumping goal that demonstrated his prowess moving forward on the field. 

What’s next for both teams?

Jamshedpur FC will play their coming game against Punjab FC in New Delhi on February 15, whereas Bengaluru FC will lock horns with Mumbai City FC next Sunday, i.e. February 18.

Brief Scores

Jamshedpur FC 1 (Javi Siverio 70’) – 1 Bengaluru FC (Suresh Singh Wangjam 14’)

Stats Pack:

Kochi, 11 February, 2024: The Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 enters a new phase with the matchweek 15 kicking off with the clash between Kerala Blasters FC and Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Punjab FC resumed their ISL campaign after the mid-season break with a terrific 3-1 victory over Bengaluru FC at home.

That was only their second win in their maiden campaign in the top-tier and the team will be drawing confidence from that to take on the Yellow Army away from home. Kerala Blasters FC had edged past Punjab FC by a slender 1-0 margin, thanks to a Dimitrios Diamantakos penalty in the previous fixture between the two sides in New Delhi. Ivan Vukomanovic and his team will hence be looking to do the league double over Punjab FC, and thus in the process become the first team to do so against them in the ISL.

Vukomanovic & Co. anyways need to recover from the 2-1 defeat to Odisha FC, which has complicated dynamics at the top of the points table. They will be backing their odds in the comfort of their home, against a team that is yet to win in an away fixture this season. Dealing with injury concerns to key players, the team faces an uphill challenge to sustain their momentum in the second half of this campaign. This is when Vukomanovic’s coaching acumen and pedigree comes into play, as he has to ride over these challenges to put up a strong face against equally determined opponents.

What’s at stake?

Kerala Blasters FC

Kerala Blasters FC might be third in the standings, but they have garnered 26 points from the first 13 games, which is their highest ever tally after these many games in any ISL campaign. In fact, they have won eight matches and that is the most number of matches they have emerged victorious in after playing the aforementioned count of encounters in any season of the competition. With a strong Indian core and impactful foreigners, the team has it in them to go the distance and Vukomanovic seems keen to make that happen after falling short of the finishing line in the last few campaigns.

However, form is perhaps the most instrumental factor in determining the outcome of any such match, and they don’t have it in their side right now whereas Punjab FC does. The tactician will be relying on Diamantakos to take up additional duties upfront, especially in the absence of Adrian Luna and Kwame Peprah. With eight goals and two assists, the Greek forward has set the stage on fire and he will be keen to delight Manjappada yet again, come Monday.

Punjab FC

After 10 winless games, Punjab FC has now won twice in their last three league encounters. They now have their eyes set on bagging consecutive victories for the first time ever in the ISL, and a host of facets have come together to help them get some favourable results under their belt. Firstly, someone like Luka Majcen hasn’t been overburdened with goal-scoring duties, with Madih Talal and most recently Wilmar Jordan Gil chipping in at crucial junctures.

They need to work on starting games on the frontfoot, with Punjab FC being the only team failing to find the back of the net in the opening 15 minutes of any of their matches in this campaign. In contrast, Kerala Blasters FC have done that four times this season already, and their head coach Staikos Vergetis must be cognisant that the aforementioned phase of the match does not tilt the scales of the game against them.

Key Players

Pritam Kotal (Kerala Blasters FC)

Pritam Kotal has been a highly influential signing for Kerala Blasters FC. The seasoned defender has helped them keep four clean sheets so far, making 12 tackles, 22 clearances, and 27 interceptions so far. He has made an average of 2.1 interceptions per game, which is the highest in the league for any player who has played an average of seven matches.

Kotal averages 34 passes per game with 73% accuracy and has seamlessly slotted in to become a leader at the back for the team. Punjab FC ran circles around the Bengaluru FC backline in the previous match, unlocking their defence and taking regular shots against them. Kotal will have to help his counterparts hold the defensive unit together, and Punjab FC will have to devise particular plans to overcome him in the game.

Madih Talal (Punjab FC)

Punjab FC has sharp strikers in Gil and Majcen, but Madih Talal is someone who is even more threatening to the opposition because he can both set up and finish off goals. He has scored twice and assisted thrice in ISL 2023-24, and his involvement in the proceedings and stature has only been rising ever since. His fleet footedness has helped him win the most fouls (37) by any player in the competition. He has created an average of two goal-scoring opportunities per game, taking 29 shots in total. Talal is a livewire in the frontline, donning a free-flowing role and breaking apart defences with his vision and sharp deliveries into the box. Whether he can recreate his magic in Kochi will be closely looked out for.

Head-to-Head

Played – 1

Kerala Blasters FC – 1

Punjab FC – 0

Draws – 0

Trivia: Kerala Blasters FC midfielder Mohammed Azhar has completed 87% of his passes in the opposition’s half this season.

Team Talk

“This is one of the most important games of the season for us. That is because we want to begin in a good way at home. We will play four more home games, in addition to five away, and hence we need to try to collect as many points as possible,” said Kerala Blasters FC head coach Ivan Vukomanovic in the pre-match press conference.

“One positive results helps the psychology of the player to get to a good level. It gives them confidence. I had seen from our Super Cup games that they have more confidence and this is something that was confirmed in the last game,” Punjab FC head coach Staikos Vergetis remarked.

ISL Fantasy

Madih Talal (5.4cr)

Five goal contributions in ISL 2023-24 so far

Sachin Suresh (3.6cr)

Solid between the posts for KBFC

Dimitrios Diamantakos (8.4cr)

10 goal contributions until now in the ISL

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Points Table