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Another exhilarating season of the Indian Super League (ISL) came to a close on Saturday, with ATK Mohun Bagan trumping Bengaluru FC 4-3 on penalties in the final showdown.
Enveloped with drama, tragedies, chaos, and supreme individual brilliance, the 2022-23 season was arguably one of the finest seasons of the tournament. There were blistering individual performances across positions and teams. Sometimes the goalkeepers stepped in with acrobatic stops, sometimes it was the defenders who came clutch with last-ditch tackles.
The midfielders were often gritty and at times graceful. The forwards frequently hogged the limelight but for good reason.
Here's a look at the five best individual performances of the 2022-23 ISL season:
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#5 Sandesh Jhingan - (Jamshedpur FC 0-3 Bengaluru FC, January 18, 2023)
In the footballing assessment, cliches are thrown about a little too often, however, Sandesh Jhingan was an absolute pillar in the heart of Bengaluru FC's backline during their 0-3 routing of Jamshedpur FC.
The veteran center-back made an astounding contribution of 14 clearances, four blocks, two tackles, and a single interception. He was gigantic going into duels and came out as the victor on most occasions.
The 29-year-old also completed 80 percent of his passes and didn't give the likes of Harry Sawyer, Daniel Chima Chukwu, and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas a moment of a breather.
With all those tidbits strung together, Jhingan produced one of the finest defensive displays of the season.
#4 Noah Sadaoui - (FC Goa 3-0 Odisha FC, December 10, 2022)
Throughout the ISL 2022-23 season, FC Goa were anything but a fine-tuned unit. They hit their highest highs on certain occasions while flirting with unfathomable lows on others. However, in Noah Sadaoui, the Gaurs found a constant driving force that always made them a lethal attacking outfit.
Against Odisha FC in a league stage fixture in December, Noah truly managed to realize his truest potential and explosive abilities. The winger ran rings around the OFC defenders while scoring a goal and creating another two. He could've had a hat-trick of assists if his attacking partners were on a similar level that night.
The only blip in his performance against the Juggernauts was the glorious opportunity he squandered in the first half.
#3 Lallianzuala Chhangte - (Odisha FC 2-4 Mumbai City FC, January 2, 2023)
There's something about tricky wingers hammering down on opposition defenses. Hence, Golden Ball winner Lallianzuala Chhangte's performance against Odisha FC breaks into the Top 3. The flamboyance of the Indian winger has hit a new level this ISL 2022-23 season.
On January 2, Chhangte's quality shone bright like very few other Indian players have managed to. The 25-year-old kept driving at the Juggernauts' defenders and created chance after chance. He created three big chances on the night and came away with just a single assist.
The Islanders' winger also got on the scoresheet twice and clearly established himself as the best player and the most in-form player on the pitch.
#2 Dimitri Petratos - (Kerala Blasters FC 2-5 ATK Mohun Bagan; October 16, 2022)
Despite emerging as ISL champions, ATK Mohun Bagan didn't always look like the most convincing outfit in the league. But steadily throughout the regular season, the Mariners went on to collect some massive morale-boosting performances, like Infinity Stones.
Kerala Blasters FC were at the end of one such humbling from ATK Mohun Bagan. The protagonist? Dimitri Petratos with a hat-trick. The ATKMB forward was at his clinical best as he dismantled the Blasters' defense with his elite movement around the box.
Three clinical finishes and an assist from two key passes capped off what was one of the most memorable ISL 2022-23 performances.
#1 Abdenasser El Khayati - (NorthEast United FC 3-7 Chennaiyin FC; December 10, 2022)
Phenom - that's probably the only word to describe Abdenasser El Khayati and his Indian Super League campaign. The creative midfielder joined Chennaiyin FC days before the start of the new season. El Khayati didn't look the fittest, nor was he the most explosive. Yet, opponent after opponent, the Dutchman continued to humble defenses, until injuries halted his heroics.
His finest performance and arguably the ISL's finest of the season came in the first half of the season against a bottom-placed NorthEast United FC. In Vincenzo Alberto Annese's debut match as the NEUFC gaffer, El Khayati pulled the strings for the Marina Machans in the middle of the park.
Aided by Petar Sliskovic and Rahim Ali, the former Queens Park Rangers man continued to find pockets of space between the defenses. Once he got in or near the opposition box, there was no stopping Abdenasser.
With his unique shooting follow-through, the 34-year-old scored three goals past a helpless Mirshad Michu and also set up his teammates twice. He ended up setting a new ISL record for most goal contributions in a match.
