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After a 10-day International break, the Indian Super League kicked off with the match between Pune City FC and Jamshedpur FC. We are almost midway through the tournament with Bengaluru FC and FC Goa at the first and second positions respectively. NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC and Mumbai City FC are marginally behind them.
The last week has been a memorable one, with NorthEast United FC coming from behind to win 2-1 in the dying minutes of the match against Kerala Blasters FC. Meanwhile, Bengaluru FC edged past FC Goa in their own den in a heated encounter which saw two red cards awarded to players from each side.
Meanwhile, Mumbai City FC played out a goalless draw against ATK while Jamshedpur FC thrashed Chennayin FC in their home fixture a few days ago. There have been a few matches winning performances recently while many have disappointed as per their reputation.
Let us have a look at the best playing XI of the week:
We have followed a bold 3-5-2 formation according to the performances of the players in the last week. While Bengaluru FC, NorthEast United FC and Jamshedpur FC have had a memorable week, others teams like Delhi Dynamos FC, FC Pune City and Kerala Blasters FC have struggled.
#1 Goalkeeper
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Bengaluru FC)
The goalkeeper of the Indian National Team has been proving his worth in the domestic circuit with perfection. He was exceptional under the sticks during the game against FC Goa last week and made crucial stops to inspire his team to a vital away win. The tall shot-stopper is still in the pole position to win the golden glove award. He concedes a goal every 126 minutes which is remarkable by any standards for a goalkeeper. The International experience helps him a lot during the ISL.
#2 Defenders
Rahul Bheke (Bengaluru FC)
After playing a brief spell for I-League club East Bengal, he subsequently played for Kerala Blasters FC and Pune City FC on loan. In 2017, he was roped in by Bengaluru FC for the Indian Super League. The side-back has evolved as a player in the past few years. The Mumbai based player is a mainstay in the Bengaluru FC line up and performs his duties to perfection in the current season. His sensational back-heel which yielded a goal against FC Goa a week back was a treat to the eye.
Tiri (Jamshedpur FC)
The Spaniard is one of the few players who is playing in the Indian Super League since 2015. After proving his worth for ATK for a couple of seasons, he shifted his loyalties to Jamshedpur FC in 2017. The stopper has been a wall in the defence for whichever club he has played for. This year is no exception, Tiri has been phenomenal for Jamshedpur FC so far. In the 9 matches played so far, he has made 78 clearances coupled with 19 tackles. He was impressive during Jamshedpur FC’s 3-1 home win against Chennai City FC last week.
Andre Bikey (ATK)
The solidly built central defender missed quite a few matches in the beginning but was fielded in the last three matches and his impact was immediate. ATK managed not to concede a goal in each of the three matches, unlike all the previous fixtures. Not only that, Bikey brings a lot of positive vibes to the team as mentioned by their head coach Steve Coppell. He motivates the players and lifts the team up when needed apart from his defensive duties at the back.
#3 Midfielders
Rowlin Borges (NorthEast United FC)
The playmaker has been a stalwart in the midfield for NorthEast United FC. He has amassed a total of 453 passes in 8 games with an accuracy of 82.78%. Apart from that, he has scored a couple of goals and with as many assists. He has been a part of every minute for NorthEast United FC in the ongoing season and he has made justice to his head coach Eelco Schattorie who has put faith in him.
Mario Arques (Jamshedpur FC)
The former La Liga star has been the main lifeline of Jamshedpur FC’s midfield. Apart from giving valuable assists, he has also scored a couple of goals. The playmaker scored the last goal for his team during their match against Chennayin FC to secure three points from the fixture. The Villareal CF’s youth system product has maintained a passing accuracy of a staggering 84.26% this season so far.
Udanta Singh (Bengaluru FC)
The energetic winger has been one of the most effective players for Bengaluru FC in the recent past and he scored the all-important winner against Delhi Dynamos FC in the previous match. Apart from that, he was pretty consistent in the rest of the matches. He will play a key role for the Albert Roca’s side if Bengaluru FC manages to remain in the hunt for their maiden Indian Super League title.
Aashique Kuruniyan (FC Pune City)
This may be a surprise inclusion in the list but the 21-year old has impressed in this year’s Indian Super League so far. Although he has scored only a single goal so far, he has a high passing rate with equally impressive accuracy. His swift runs down the wings can pose threat to any defence and will be the man to watch out for the ‘Stallions’ in their remaining fixtures.
Lalthathanga Khawlhring (NorthEast United)
Former Aizawl FC player Lalthahanga was roped in by NorthEast United FC prior to the season. Failing to make a huge impact in the opening few matches, the midfielder from Mizoram has been a shining star for Eelco Schattorie’s unit in the past couple of matches. Hopefully, he will continue to do the same for the rest of the season.
#4 Forwards
Juan Mascia (NorthEast United FC)
The sensational goal scored by him in the dying minutes of NorthEast United FC’s home match against Kerala Blasters FC was enough to include him in this list. The goal earned his team three vital points and helped them to leapfrog to the second spot in the league table until now. The Uruguayan has just played only 4 matches so far, but all eyes will be on him in the remaining matches.
Bartholomew Ogbeche (NorthEast United FC)
The Dutch striker has been an in an influential player for NorthEast United FC in the ongoing Indian Super League so far. His presence lifts the entire team and he also gets the goals at regular intervals to keep the points ticking. The goal machine is jointly the highest goal scorer in the ISL along with FC Goa’s Spanish recruit Ferran Corominas. Having scored a goal in each of the last two games for his side, he is braced up for more in the upcoming fixtures.
