As each week progresses, the Hero ISL continues to entertain Indian football fans with thrilling matches. The recently concluded Matchweek 16 of the competition provided entertainment and results that will be crucial as the league approaches its closing stages. While teams like NorthEast United, and Mumbai City FC registered away victories, Jamshedpur FC, Bengaluru FC, and Kerala Blasters dominated at home.
The only game in which both teams had to share points was the one between Mohun Bagan and Odisha FC. In this article, we will review the games played in Matchweek 16 of the Hero Indian Super League:
NorthEast United wins away from home Matchweek 16 of the ISL
FC Goa fans won’t be happy with the results their team has secured in the last two weeks. While The Gaurs lost to Mohun Bagan on Valentine’s Day, the follow-up game against NorthEast United wasn’t any better. An opening goal from Tomi Juri in the 69th minute followed by an own goal from Odei Onaindia ensured The Highlanders registered a comfortable 2-0 victory.
These two consecutive losses in two weeks will be a bit worrying for FC Goa, who were on a 12-match win streak before they faced Mohun Bagan. The only positive for Goa from the game against NorthEast would be that despite not scoring goals, they were able to hold the ball and make attempts at goal. NorthEast on the other hand will be happy to bounce back from defeat against The Mariners with a win and a clean sheet against FC Goa.
Jamshedpur FC came from behind to register a victory at home
Fans at the JRD Tata Sports Complex left the stadium with smiles on Thursday after Jamshedpur FC put up a spirited performance to beat East Bengal FC. However, the road to victory wasn’t easy for the home team. While Jamshedpur did well to exert pressure on East Bengal early in the game, the team from Kolkata was able to take the lead after Nandhakumar Seka scored his fifth goal of the season.
However, the goal from Seka did not mean much as Jamshedpur FC dominated the game in the second half. While the home team saw more of the ball, they also created many chances. While a goal from Rei Tachikawa gave Jamshedpur the much-needed equalizer, Jeremy Manzorro sealed the game for JFC by scoring a brilliant goal during injury time. With this victory, Jamshedpur has now reached 6th position in the league.
Mumbai City FC scored two goals to register a commanding win in Chennai
The game between Chennayin FC and Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was an intense battle. Despite the scoreline being 2-0, the first half between the two teams made it difficult to predict who would win this match. Both teams launched attacks but were not able to score an opening goal. The first half concluded with a score of 0-0, which intrigued fans to see how the second half would play out.
In the second half, however, Mumbai City seemed to have the edge. Not only did they dominate possession, but The Islanders were also creating chances. However, what changed the game for the Mumbai side was the introduction of Bipin Singh with 20 minutes to play. Goals in the 71st minute and during injury time from the 28-year-old helped Mumbai City FC register their third consecutive win in the Hero ISL.
Table toppers Odisha FC and Mohun Bagan share points in the highly anticipated clash
The game between Odisha FC and Mohun Bagan had a lot of interest from Indian football fans as both teams were at the top of the table. However, this highly anticipated game turned into a disappointment because, at the end of the game, both teams played a 0-0 draw. In the first half of this match, fans witnessed plenty of actions as both teams seemingly created plenty of chances.
The second half was a disappointment though. Both teams weren’t able to create any chances, and the ones they did create weren’t a threat to either keeper. The majority of the game in the second half was contested in the middle of the park. Due to this draw, Mohun Bagan find themselves in the third spot, with Mumbai City FC taking over the second spot. It will be interesting to see how the top-of-the-table battle intensifies in the coming weeks.
Sivasakthi leads Bengaluru FC to a last-minute win over Hyderabad FC
Hyderabad FC’s disappointing ISL season was further hampered when they met Bengaluru FC at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore, Karnataka. From the very start of the match, Bengaluru looked dominant and created chances. The likes of Shivaldo and Sunil Chhetri were close to securing a lead in the first half but were unable to. It was Javi Hernandez’s brilliant shot at goal that gave Bangalore the lead in the 72nd minute.
However, this lead did not last long for Bengaluru, as Hyderabad found their equalizer in the 80th minute, courtesy of a goal by Ramhlungchhunga. Post this goal, it seemed Bengaluru and Hyderabad were heading for a draw. But, a late goal from Bengaluru substitute Sivasakthi Narayan in stoppage time ensured the home team won the game 2-1.
Kerala Blasters stage an epic comeback against FC Goa
FC Goa converted their two-game losing streak into a three-game losing streak as the team lost to Kerala Blasters away from home. However, things started brilliantly for Goa in this game. Within the first 20 minutes, The Gaurs shocked the home team by scoring two quick goals. While Rowling Borges gave Goa the lead in the seventh minute, Mohammed Yasir doubled it in the 17th minute. The first half purely belonged to FC Goa.
However, in the second half of the game, Kerala Blasters staged an incredible comeback. In the 51st minute, Daisuke Sakai scored the first goal for Kerala. This goal was later doubled by a calm and composed penalty from Dimitrios Diamantakos. With the scoreline now 2-2, many believed the game would be heading towards a draw. However, three minutes after his second goal, Diamantakos scored another wonderful goal to make the score 3-2 for Kerala.
Diamantakos’ second goal and Kerala’s third goal caused a huge uproar in the stadium, with Kerala fans being massively delighted. Their happiness was further bolstered when Fedor Cernych scored Kerala’s fourth goal in the 88th minute. With this victory, Kerala Blasters are now in 4th position in the ISL. Their next game in the league will be an away affair against arch-rivals Bengaluru FC.
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