Owen Coyle’s return to Chennaiyin FC in the ISL has been disappointing thus far, as the team finds itself languishing at the bottom, just above a struggling Hyderabad FC. The situation worsened for the Machans with a 1-0 defeat against East Bengal earlier this matchweek. Adding to their woes, Hyderabad, the other team at the bottom, failed to secure their first win of the season, suffering a 2-0 loss to Punjab FC.
Meanwhile, in three other crucial fixtures that greatly impacted the title race, Goa managed to halt their downward spiral by sharing points with Mumbai. Odisha staged a comeback to secure a victory against East Bengal, putting pressure on Mohun Bagan. However, Mohun Bagan, under Habas, emerged victorious against Jamshedpur with a convincing 3-0 win, closing in on Odisha at the top of the table.
Here’s a summary of each game from this matchweek.
Chennaiyin undone by Nandha’s second-half winner
Chennaiyin FC’s hopes of securing a top-six finish dwindled further with three defeats in four games post the Super Cup break. This belief solidified with Nandhakumar’s 65th-minute goal at the YVBK stadium, securing a crucial win for East Bengal. Carles Cuadrat’s side, post their Super Cup triumph, managed only one victory, against the struggling Hyderabad FC. They were in dire need of a win to stay competitive in the top-six race and solidify their position.
The home team seemed to be in trouble until Victor Vazquez’s cross into the box, deflected by Cleiton, found Nandha who netted the ball. Owen Coyle’s side has conceded a staggering 26 goals in 16 matches while only managing to score 16 in return. Despite having more shots on target and big chances in the match, Chennaiyin, as has been the case throughout the season, struggled to convert opportunities into goals. Their top scorers, Crivellaro, Murray, and Shields, with just three goals each, paint a bleak picture as the club grapples to find a consistent source of scoring.
Punjab compounds Hyderabad’s woes in the ISL
Punjab FC has been in top form since the Super Cup break, securing three wins in four matches against Bengaluru, Kerala, and Hyderabad. Before February, the newcomers had only managed one win in the league, but they have now hit their stride. Goals from Madih Talal and Luka Majcen at the Gachibowli ensured three points for Staikos Vergetis’s side. Hyderabad, a struggling and depleted team, failed to impress neutral watchers, unable to secure a win against Punjab despite fielding a young and weakened side. Talal and Majcen, the standout performers for The Shers with a combined tally of 15 goals and assists, once again proved their worth.
Majcen’s header from the Frenchman Talal’s cross gave Punjab the lead just before halftime. Later, the Slovenian returned the favor to Talal, providing him with a pass outside the box. Contrary to expectations, Talal took a long-range shot that beat Kattimani, sealing the victory for Punjab. The first promoted side in the history of the ISL still has plenty of work to do to secure a spot in the top six by season’s end. Conversely, Hyderabad simply wishes for the season to conclude as soon as possible, ending the nightmare for their fans.
Vikram and Yasir spice things up at the top
The face-off between Mumbai and Goa carried significant weight even before the match began, with accusations of spying leveled against The Islanders by Goa. This added extra tension to the game, beyond its implications for the title race. The Gaurs, suffering from three consecutive defeats, had slipped from the top of the table to a precarious position. Meanwhile, under Kratky’s leadership, Mumbai was asserting itself in the title race. Therefore, a victory would have been crucial for either side. However, Manolo’s team managed only to secure a draw against Peter Kratky’s side, thanks to Yasir’s equalizer in the 61st minute.
Initially, Vikram Pratap Singh had put Mumbai in the lead after Bipin’s cross found him in a favorable position to score past Dheeraj Singh. Starting the second half strongly, it seemed that Goa was heading towards a fourth consecutive defeat. However, Mohammad Yasir had other plans, as his left-footed strike from outside the box caught Phurba Lachenpa off guard, despite his otherwise brilliant performance throughout the game. Both teams had opportunities to secure a win, but they failed to capitalize.
Currently, Goa has 29 points from sixteen games, and with a game in hand, they could narrow the gap to Odisha to three points if they win. However, Mohun Bagan, who also has a game in hand, remains a threat. Mumbai, on the other hand, trails The Mariners by just one point with a game in hand as well, eagerly anticipating a stumble from either Odisha or Bagan.
Odisha overcomes early scare
East Bengal’s arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan, couldn’t help but celebrate when Vishnu PV put the Torchbearers ahead in the very first minute of the game against Odisha. Any slip from the Juggernauts could have put Bagan in a highly advantageous position at the top. However, things did not turn out as expected. East Bengal were coming off the back of a 1-0 win against Chennaiyin, while Odisha had two straight draws against Mohun Bagan and Goa. Both teams needed to win, albeit for different reasons. Cuadrat’s side is still in the race for the top six, while Odisha is aiming for the Shield with pressure from Mumbai and Bagan.
Lobera would have breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the ninety minutes when his team completed a successful comeback against East Bengal. Vishnu’s near-post strike, the quickest of the season, put Odisha on the backfoot just a minute into the game. However, Odisha managed to go into halftime level with a goal, as Mauricio’s penalty equalized things. Rakip’s foul inside the box gave Mauricio the chance to convert his third penalty kick of the season, which he did.
Lobera’s team entered the tunnel with momentum on their side, which eventually translated into a lead in the 61st minute when Princeton Rebello scored from close range after a corner kick fell kindly to him, allowing him to score past Gill.
Mohun Bagan disrupts Khalid Jamil’s unbeaten run
Two teams, each with a new manager taking charge mid-season, faced off in the last game of the matchweek. Both Bagan and Jamshedpur had been in top form since the Super Cup break, heading into the game undefeated. The Men Of Steel had secured three wins and two draws, defeating Punjab, East Bengal, and Mumbai, scoring 11 goals in five games. The Mariners, on the other hand, managed two draws against Odisha and East Bengal but defeated Goa, Northeast, and Hyderabad. Their post-break form placed them favorably in the title race, further solidified by their game against Jamshedpur.
Habas’s tactics successfully thwarted Jamshedpur’s efforts, led by Jamil. Predictably, it was Dimitri Petratos, the star of the Bagan side, who put the Mariners in the lead in the seventh minute. Joni Kauko played a pivotal role, setting up Manvir for Petratos’s goal. The second goal, in the 68th minute, also involved Kauko and Manvir, with Jason Cummings finishing past an onrushing Rehenesh. Kauko’s pass found Manvir, who assisted Cummings, extending their lead. Armando Sadiku scored Bagan’s third goal, with Manvir again involved after Cummings set him up. Manvir Singh now boasts seven goals and assists in just ten starts for the Mariners. Habas’s side is now just two points away from Odisha, with a game in hand.
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