Seven days, seven matches and 20 goals – the past week of the Indian Super League had everything a football enthusiast could’ve hoped for.
Seven days, seven matches and 20 goals – the past week of the Indian Super League had everything a football enthusiast could’ve hoped for. This was finally the week when the two Kolkata footballing behemoths ATK Mohun Bagan and SC East Bengal clashed. The encounter didn’t disappoint, with Kiyan Nassiri stealing the show.
Bengaluru FC notched up a couple of victories this week. Hyderabad FC also flexed their attacking muscles and solidified their place at the top of the table, whereas FC Goa slipped to another defeat against Jamshedpur FC.
All in all, there was plenty that happened in the week gone by and the time is ripe to dive into another edition of the ISL stories.
Kiyan Nassiri lights up the Kolkata Derby
For almost an hour in the Kolkata Derby, it looked as if ATK Mohun Bagan would throw the kitchen sink at SC East Bengal and still fire a blank. They pushed, probed, struck the bar but didn’t make the net ripple. And, then, Kiyan Nassiri rocked up and decided that it was too boring to just create openings and not score.
By the time the game was done, Nassiri got on the scoresheet thrice, made at least thousands of football fanatics in Kolkata fall in love with him and helped secure three vital points for ATK Mohun Bagan – points that seemed in peril, especially after David Williams blazed a penalty over the bar with the scores level.
There were many other positives for the Mariners too. Liston Colaco had another enterprising game on the left flank and caused SC East Bengal all sorts of problems. Hugo Boumous orchestrated everything good ATK Mohun Bagan did and arguably produced his best performance for the Mariners.
At the back, Amrinder Singh popped up with a massive save, indicating that he, despite his patchy form this season, remains a top-drawer goalkeeper. Prabir Das and Subhasish Bose weren’t bad either. The goal they conceded would’ve irked Juan Ferrando but it was a much better defensive performance overall.
In a nutshell, this was another display that proves the Mariners are certainly a different kettle of fish under the Spaniard. Not only are they putting the opposition under more pressure, they are finding ways to score goals, irrespective of their source.
For SC East Bengal, this fixture only highlighted how far they have to traverse to compete with the ISL’s biggest gunslingers. Throughout the first half, the Red and Gold Brigade were brilliant. They held their defensive shape, cut out spaces between their defensive and midfield line and tracked their runners.
But as soon as their ship started wobbling in the second half, they sunk deeper into misery. The first goal came as a result of miscommunication inside the box, whereas the challenge to give away the penalty was also not advisable. The other goals also were borne out of SC East Bengal’s franticness.
Saturday, though, wasn’t about how ATK Mohun Bagan and SC East Bengal traded punches for sixty minutes. It was all about a 21-year-old announcing his arrival to the rest of the ISL and of course, to SC East Bengal.
Years ago, Bhaichung Bhutia had, courtesy of a hat-trick in the Kolkata Derby in the Federation Cup, told the nation that they had a serious footballer on their hands. Oh, by the way, Kiyan Nassiri is also the son of Jamshid Nassiri – a bonafide East Bengal legend.
Not much pressure then on the kid, eh?
Mumbai City FC’s winless streak stretches to another game
If anyone had said in December that Mumbai City FC would embark on a six-game winless run, wherein they would only score six goals and concede 14 goals, you would’ve probably not believed – such was the Islanders’ dominance in the opening weeks of the ISL.
Since then, though, things have broken down a touch. So much so that the panache synonymous with their early season football has disappeared, they are finding ways to either draw or lose games and goals are being conceded whenever an opposition ventures into their defensive third.
To an extent, the game against NorthEast United FC quelled a few of their defensive fears. They pressed the ball a lot higher and did so with more coordination, whereas their off-the-ball positioning wasn’t as shambolic as it has been in recent weeks.
Yet, in their pursuit of keeping things tight at the back, they lost their attacking verve. That they still shipped in a soft and unavoidable goal would’ve irked Des Buckingham further.
Speaking of their attacking display, there wasn’t really much to shout home about. They began the game in effervescent fashion but lifted their foot off the pedal post Ahmed Jahouh’s spot-kick. The Islanders were missing Igor Angulo and Ygor Catatau but still seemed to lack the creative edge that you expect from a Mumbai City FC side.
Their passing was also a little more wayward than usual. They attempted 343 passes, of which only 79% hit their mark. They also had lesser passes than the Highlanders, which considering NorthEast United FC’s tendency to sit back and absorb pressure, tells a story in itself.
Apart from the string of results causing a furrowed brow or two, it has also had direct implications on where the Islanders are situated on the points table. Before 19 December, Mumbai City FC were undisputedly the team perched at the top of the pile. Now, they are having to nervously look over their shoulders.
That alone is a cause for concern. The six-game winless streak, which is showing no signs of ceasing, has only added to their problems.
Hyderabad FC have finally arrived
At first, this might seem a bit paradoxical, considering Hyderabad FC are perched at the top of the points table, and have the best goal difference of all teams in the ISL. But they have been guilty of decelerating after a watershed performance, meaning that they’ve not really pulled away from the rest of the pack, despite having the personnel to do so.
On Monday, HFC clashed swords against SC East Bengal and dispatched them comfortably via a 4-0 margin. Almost all of their components functioned optimally, with Bartholomew Ogbeche (who else) notching up another hat-trick and nudging closer to the all-time goal-scoring ISL record. Javier Siverio also made a nuisance of himself, whereas Aniket Jadhav was just as impressive (if not more).
However, owing to their tendency of taking half a step back after a gigantic stride in the other direction, plenty were intrigued to see how they would fare against Odisha FC. Not only were Hyderabad FC’s fans treated to another sumptuous display, it was the kind of performance that told the rest of the league Hyderabad FC truly mean business this season.
Apart from a few shaky defensive moments, HFC held their own. They fielded a relatively changed side but still managed to control. The Juggernauts had their moments, although they weren’t enough to trouble a Hyderabad FC outfit that is looking stronger with every passing game.
Most importantly, HFC made the net bulge thrice against Odisha FC – a feat that took their tally to seven goals from their two most recent games. For a team of their pedigree, that shouldn’t ideally be something to shout home about because, well, they are capable of so much more.
But the fact that it is the first time this campaign that they’ve stitched together two three-plus goals games in succession should also count for something, shouldn’t it?
For the past month, the points table has indicated that Hyderabad FC are one of the favourites for the title. Manolo Marquez hasn’t always bought into that notion and has emphasized that his team keep improving. But even he would admit that his team is arguably clicking into gear. And that might not be good news for the rest of the ISL.
Bengaluru FC continue to dream; Kerala Blasters suffer setback
Till a few weeks ago, Bengaluru FC were in absolute turmoil. They were conceding a ton of goals, weren’t making their possession count and were, rather uncharacteristically, being tactically outwitted often. Fortunately for them, they have turned a corner since, meaning that they have now stitched together an eight-game unbeaten run.
During that sequence, they’ve disdainfully dispatched Mumbai City FC’s challenge, got the better of the Kerala Blasters, held their own against ATK Mohun Bagan and Jamshedpur FC, and thumped Chennaiyin FC. As far as CVs go, that is perhaps as impressive as any side in the ISL.
Most importantly, though, they seem to finally be buying into their manager’s philosophy. While the intent to press has been present from the onset of the season, it has now become a non-negotiable – a non-negotiable that they are also executing well.
The players are picking and choosing their moments to press the opposition. They are coordinating well amongst themselves and the midfielders are understanding when to push higher up the field and when to drop back.
Apart from that, they seem to be enjoying each other’s company – an aspect that came to the fore when Sunil Chhetri selflessly passed up opportunities to become the highest goal-scorer in the ISL against Chennaiyin FC. And, was very evident when Roshan Singh rifled the ball into the roof of the net against the Kerala Blasters.
In the process, the Blues’ faithful, who would’ve been forgiven to fear the worst, have actually started dreaming of a semi-final spot. That goal still remains a fair distance away. But if Bengaluru FC keep churning out such results, it would take a brave man to bet against them.
The Kerala Blasters, on the other hand, lacked a bit of match-sharpness. The Tuskers have been one of the worst-hit teams by COVID-19 in the bio-bubble, meaning that they couldn’t even train properly before the fixture against the Blues.
Unsurprisingly, they failed to assert their authority in the contest. The inclination to win the ball high up the pitch was still present. But with lesser miles in their legs, they struggled to optimize those situations. None of their marquee players missed the game, although there was a sense of jadedness to the way Adrian Luna, Alvaro Vazquez and Roberto Pereyra Diaz played.
Defensively too, they were a touch late in their tackling. One such instance led to the free-kick that Roshan smashed into the net. There were also occasions where they could’ve conceded a penalty, hinting that they were just a tad off the pace.
In isolation, a defeat, especially after such a long break (the last time they played in the ISL was on January 12th), might not mean much. Kerala Blasters, though, owing to their capitulations in recent seasons, might want to be a little more careful.
This result, by the way, was also their first loss since their opening fixture. There wasn’t enough to suggest that this could become a recurring theme between now and the end of the season. And, Kerala Blasters would want to keep it that way.
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