'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The big guns got back to winning ways in the third week of the ISL, as defending champions Bengaluru FC, last year's finalists FC Goa, and early pace-setters ATK notched up big wins, that sent out a statement to the rest of the league.
Our Team of the Week, too, has some repeat entrants, but Michael Soosairaj is so far the only players to have made it into all three Team of the Week picks.
Carlos Pena and Coro, too, make it into our list, which, this week, is one dominated by last year's finalists and ATK.
Goa and Bengaluru have four players each making it into our Team of the Week, while ATK players take the remaining three spots.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
The India no.1 kept his third clean sheet in four games, as he strengthened his grip atop the Golden Glove charts in this early stage of the season. Against what was admittedly a poor Chennaiyin FC side, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu did what he had to do, even if he could've been beaten by a Dhanpal Ganesh strike that hit the post.
Gurpreet was quick off his line to collect balls, he was solid while catching crosses, which have been Achilles' heel for him recently, and his distribution was once again a massive factor in Bengaluru being able to counter-attack against Chennaiyin FC.
His understanding with Sunil Chhetri and Udanta Singh is a huge advantage, as one of the Bengaluru front-men always get on their bike looking to get on the end of a long kick forward from Gurpreet.
Gurpreet has not yet conceded a goal from open-play this season, with Coro's late penalty in Goa being the only time the Bengaluru no.1 has been beaten this season.
Seriton Fernandes
Seriton Fernandes is such a key component for FC Goa with his solidity at the back, and that it comes without compromising on his ability to go forward on marauding overlaps. He assisted Coro's goal which put Goa up 2-0 before half-time, and in command of the match against Mumbai City FC, and his passing accuracy was at 89%, which was the highest of all the defenders in the game.
Goa's most consistent Indian performer over the last couple of seasons, Seriton might feel hard done by at still being overlooked for a spot in the Indian national team.
Anas Edathodika
The experienced man at the heart of the ATK defence had a superb game against Jamshedpur, when he had to deal with one of the form strikers of the ISL, in Spaniard Sergio Castel.
Anas Edathodika was strong, and his judgement was spot on. Far too often in recent times, he's let balls bounce in his own half, and his lack of pace has meant that the ball has skipped away without him being able to catch. Against Jamshedpur, though, he was decisive and cleared his lines at the first attempt.
Carlos Pena
Even centre-halves can't stop scoring! That's Sergio Lobera's FC Goa in a nutshell. Carlos Pena was a part of a defensive set-up that did concede two goals, but he makes our Team of the Week based on his individual performance.
He was not an easy obstacle for Amine Chermiti to get past, and was a nuisance in the Mumbai box when he got forward for Goa's set-pieces.
Michael Soosairaj
Michael Soosairaj makes our Team of the Week for the third week running! And that is a testament to how well he has played in what is an unnatural position for him.
In the first half of the game against Jamshedpur, which was played in stormy conditions in Kolkata, Soosairaj was one of the few bright sparks. His mazy runs forward and exceptional dribbling ability always kept Robin Gurung on his toes.
Post the break, Soosai also showed off his defensive prowess with a perfect job done on Isaac Vanmalsawma.
Lenny Rodrigues
Lenny Rodrigues was again at the heart of an outstanding FC Goa performance, which saw them beat Mumbai City FC 4-2. Lenny allowed Ahmed Jahouh and Hugo Boumous to pull the strings in midfield, by just doing the dirty work, and enabling those around him to show their flair.
Despite that, it was the experienced midfielder who opened the scoring with a neat finish past Amrinder, to put Goa on their way. Are you watching, Mr. Stimac?
Erik Paartalu
How Bengaluru FC missed Erik Paartalu in their first three games! He came back in, and there just seemed to be a better balance and a better flow to everything that Bengaluru were doing on the pitch.
He opened the scoring in the 14th minute, with a superb header off a Dimas Delgado corner, and that was coming. From the first minute, Paartalu was a threat from set-plays, be it Rahul Bheke's long throws or Dimas' corners.
Chennaiyin paid the price for not marking him strongly enough. They also couldn't get past him in midfield, as he stayed deep and cleaned everything up to allow Dimas and Raphael to move further forward and influence proceedings.
Raphael Augusto
Against his former club, it was almost a grudge match for Raphael Augusto, and in the end, it is safe to say that the Brazilian came out on top.
With his tricks and flicks galore, he controlled possession in the midfield, drove Benglauru forward, linked really well with Udanta and Sunil Chhetri, and provided a constant goal threat from midfield, even if he didn't manage to find himself on the scoresheet.
He did manage an assist, though, with a beauty of a pass over the top that split Lucian Goian and Eli Sabia, and found the run of Chhetri, who smashed it past Vishal Kaith.
Ferran Corominas
It's getting a bit boring now, this routine of Ferran Corominas scoring in the ISL. Oh, no, who am I kidding? It's still an absolute joy to watch the Spaniard play. Restored to his role in leading the Goa front-line, Coro was once again the menace that ISL defenders always know him to be.
He got himself his customary goal, with a neat easy finish after good work from Seriton.
Sunil Chhetri
The drought is over. Yes, those are the standards that Sunil Chhetri has set for himself. He went four ISL games without a goal (including last season's final) and tongues had begun to wag. They were shut emphatically, with a rocket of a strike that gave Vishal Kaith no chance in the Chennaiyin goal.
He could've had a hat-trick, really, with two gilt-edged opportunities spurned either side of half-time. Early in the first half, Harmanjot Khabra put in a peach of a cross that was somehow headed wide by Chhetri, after he dived on it, when he might have been better served staying on his feet and volleying it.
In the dying minutes of the game, he missed another golden chance, when Dimas's cut-back found him in the six-yard box with the net gaping, but his strike was wide of the target.
Roy Krishna
Roy Krishna won himself two penalties with superb runs into the box, and then emphatically finished both those penalties giving Subrata Paul no chance.
He even had time for some mind-games with Subrata and a handshake after scoring the second penalty. On a stormy Kolkata evening, Krishna provided the spark, as the man with the captain's armband propelled ATK to the top of the table.
