(Football news) The 19th Matchweek of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24, and the previous month in general, saw intense movements in the points table.
Odisha FC has slipped from the top to the fourth spot in the standings, with the trio of Mumbai City FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and FC Goa beating them to the first three spots in the table respectively.
Kerala Blasters FC, with just one win in last five games, is stuck at the fifth spot and the team is virtually out of the League Winners Shield race, but still has a foot inside the playoffs.
The sixth spot is where things are heating up, with as many as six contenders in Jamshedpur FC, Bengaluru FC, Punjab FC, NorthEast United FC, Chennaiyin FC, and East Bengal FC battling to break into the next round of the competition.
At the bottom, Hyderabad FC has taken progressive steps lately, and is complicating matters for sides either challenging for the shield or for the top-six.
All in all, the competition is wide open despite just three matchweeks to go before the playoffs, and here is a complete breakdown of the picture that the current points table presents.
1: Rewind of the ISL 2020-21 run
Tied at 39 points, Mumbai City FC (1st) and Mohun Bagan Super Giant (2nd) are engaged in a tough tussle for the top spot.
Whilst the Mariners have reached the stage in fewer games (18) to the Islanders (19), Mumbai City FC has been defeated only twice as compared to the three of the Kolkata-based club.
Further, the Islanders beat the Mariners in their fixture by 2-1 on December 20, 2023, handing them an edge in the head-to-head record.
Their runs this year are pretty similar to the one that they had in 2020-21, when Mumbai clinched the League Shield on the final matchday, beating Mohun Bagan Super Giant by 2-0 at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa.
Even back then, both teams were level at 40 points at the end of 20 games. They are set to meet again at the Salt Lake Stadium on April 14, a fixture that will have a massive impact on the title credentials of both teams.
2: FC Goa, Odisha FC knocking doors for first place
After a 12-match-long unbeaten run, FC Goa has picked only eight points out of a possible 21 since the season restarted. However, the head-start they got early on ensures that the Gaurs (36) are only three points behind the Islanders still.
Fortunately for FC Goa, they face lower-ranked opponents in Hyderabad FC, Jamshedpur FC, and Chennaiyin FC in the remaining games. It gives them a chance to bag maximum points, but also hinders them from beating any of their nearest competitors to climb higher up in the table.
For Odisha FC, their clash against Mumbai City FC on April 8 is of great importance, with the earlier match between them resulting in a 2-2 draw.
The Juggernauts are four points behind (35) the Islanders, but have a one-game advantage (18) to them (19). They should be looking to maximise that when their paths meet again.
3: Will Kerala Blasters FC slip out of the playoff race?
With five defeats in their last six games, Kerala Blasters FC is struggling at the fifth spot with 29 points.
They are eight ahead of the sixth-placed Jamshedpur FC, but their recent form does not inspire too much confidence.
The Yellow Army faces Jamshedpur FC, East Bengal FC, NorthEast United FC, and Hyderabad FC in their remaining games – matches in which they should back themselves to get positive outcomes.
Mathematically, Jamshedpur FC, Punjab FC, and Bengaluru FC (all with 21 points from 19 matches), can still surpass Kerala Blasters FC in the standings, whereas NorthEast United FC (20 points in 19 matches), can equal the Ivan Vukomanovic-coached side.
Regardless, the Kochi-based team will want to stop this downward spiral and get some wins under their belt soon.
4: One spot, six contenders
The sixth spot has many competitors fighting out, with no side outside of Hyderabad FC out of the race completely yet.
Chennaiyin FC has 18 points in as many games, and they can get to 30 in the next four matches, which are against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, and FC Goa respectively.
Interestingly, Jamshedpur FC, Bengaluru FC, and Punjab FC, all at 21 in 19 games, don’t face each other even once in their remaining matches, something that throws the points table wide open, producing a possibility of them ending at level points at the end of the league campaign.
East Bengal FC has won once in their past five games and the Highlanders have picked four points out of a possible 15 in their previous five clashes.
Form doesn’t stand by their side, but they still can aspire to make it into the playoffs, though the sides don’t clash against each other anymore.
ISL Fantasy
MW 19 roundup
Winner: Umesh A
Score: 98
Avg score: 44
Top scorers
Dimitrios Petratos (MBSG)- 16
Vikram Pratap Singh (MCFC)- 14
Boris Singh (FCG)- 14
Noah Sadaoui (FCG)- 12
Sajad Parray (HFC)- 11
Team of the Week – Matchweek 19
Goalkeeper: Laxmikant Kattimani (Hyderabad FC)
Defenders: Sajad Parray (Hyderabad FC), Odei OnaIndia (FC Goa), Alex Saji (Hyderabad FC)
Midfielders: Madih Talal (Punjab FC), Yoell van Nieff (Mumbai City FC), Vibin Mohanan (Kerala Blasters FC), Vikram Partap Singh (Mumbai City FC)
Forwards: Dimitrios Petratos (Mohun Bagan Super Giant), Luka Majcen (Punjab FC), Armando Sadiku (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)
Head Coach: Thangboi Singto
Where to Watch
Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.
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