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After scoring a clinical brace against Jamshedpur FC in his last game, East Bengal talisman Cleiton Silva currently leads the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 Golden Boot race with five goals.
The Brazilian forward has attained those numbers in eight games, while Abdenasser El Khayati trails Silva by just a single goal even after making four fewer appearances. Along with the Dutch creative midfielder, Noah Sadaoui, Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, Bipin Singh, and Jorge Pereyra Diaz are tied on four goals.
Meanwhile, Odisha FC have three players tied on three goals for the season so far: Diego Mauricio, Pedro Martin, and Nandhakumar Sekar.
Surprisingly, last season's Golden Boot winner Bartholomew Ogbeche is still just on two goals from eight appearances.
Cleiton Silva's metamorphosis into a box striker boosting his chances in ISL Golden Boot race
At Bengaluru FC, the Brazilian forward was more of a second striker, playing in deeper positions. Cleiton Silva was more involved in the creative part of the attacking half. But now in East Bengal, in the absence of a more natural box striker, the 35-year-old has taken up the role. Quite brilliantly too, to be fair to him.
Cleiton is already leading the scoring charts after five games and scoring at regular intervals. His telepathic connection with Naorem Mahesh Singh has also aided his numbers.
Against Jamshedpur FC, Mahesh assisted Cleiton in both of his goals and the Brazilian just seemed to arrive at the right moment on both occasions. Playing in what is a fairly new role for him, the former BFC man has grown leaps and bounds in the opening few matches. Even when he is not scoring, Cleiton aids the team with his movement and work rate off the ball. The Red and Gold Brigade will be hoping for the talismanic center-forward to carry his rich vein of form into the season.
