Odisha FC suffered a setback in their pursuit of the final playoff spot, with defending champions Bengaluru FC running riot to emerge 3-0 victors at home on matchday 14 of the Indian Super League.

The visitors however, were helped by the fact that Mumbai City FC too failed to get all three points against bottom-placed Hyderabad FC meaning there is still a point differentiating the Islanders and Odisha.

Chennaiyin FC, on the other hand, stretched their winning run to three games with a convincing 4-1 win over Jamshedpur, while joint-league leaders, FC Goa and ATK narrowly survived to win all three points against Kerala Blasters FC and NorthEast United FC respectively.

Read | ISL 2019-20: Hernandez and Paartalu make their mark in Week 12

As many as 16 goals were scored across five games, and here are the best from the lot: 

Nerijus Valskis

For: Chennaiyin FC

Against: Jamshedpur FC

Chennaiyin’s Nerijus Valskis has been in stunning form of late. After a rather slow start to his new life in India, the 32-year-old has run riot by scoring five goals in his last three games, taking his tally to 10 for the season.

Against Jamshedpur FC, the Lithuanian was at his usual best, but the most entertaining goal came in the 74^th minute when Anirudh Thapa’s defence-splitting pass set Valskis through on goal. There was a lot to do though, and the 32-year-old managed to get past his marker and slot home with a neat chip over Subrata Pal. 

Sergio Castel

For: Jamshedpur FC

Against: Chennaiyin FC

Jamshedpur FC upped the gear once they found themselves wanting against Chennai. The result eventually came in the 71^st minute after a string of passes finally culminated in a goal by none other than Sergio Castel.

Right-back Joyner Lourenco had sent a looping ball into the area, and Castel met the swinging cross with his head to beat Vishal Kaith in goal.

Jackichand Singh

For: FC Goa

Against: Kerala Blasters

Ferran Corominas failed to get onto the scoresheet against Kerala on Saturday, but he did set-up Jackichand Singh for his first goal of the ISL. Left unmarked on the right side of the penalty area, the Spaniard sent a swinging ball towards Hugo Boumous, but Jackichand was quick enough to get his foot in the midst, deflecting the shot into the back of the net.

Hugo Boumous

For: FC Goa

Against: Kerala Blasters

With score tied at 2-2, Goa played a quick one-two in Kerala’s half, and their patience was duly rewarded in the 83^rd minute when midfielder Hugo Boumous met with an Ahmed Jahouh long ball to slot home a fantastic volley, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndSuperLeague

The group stages of the UEFA Champions League will finally see its culmination in this midweek, giving us the final 16 teams who will progress to the knockout stage of the competition. On the Indian shores, the Indian Super League (ISL) will enter its matchday eight after a plethora of high-octane action over the past few gameweeks.

Among biggest fixtures this week, we’ll see Inter Milan host the Catalan giants, Barcelona while Jose Mourinho�?Tottenham will travel to Munich where the Bavarians, Bayern Munich will be hoping for a similar result like last time, which although seems unlikely under the tutelage of the Portuguese manager.

In a battle of the heavyweights in ISL over the upcoming weekend, FC Goa will go against a ravishing ATK where the Fijian international, Roy Krishna seems to be proving invaluable for the team from Bengal. The fantasy managers of Nostragamus have a long and tedious week ahead. Sit back while we handpick the players that will make your journey rewarding this week.

DELE ALLI

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Match: Bayern Munich vs Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham’s number 20 has been enjoying life under the watchful eyes of Mourinho. The fans have been witnessing a ‘Renaissance�?as far as Dele Alli is concerned, with the 23-year-old scoring four goals in five games with three invaluable assists.

Absolutely filthy @dele_official #COYS pic.twitter.com/WYNxxTjD9O

�?Talking THFC (@TalkingTHFC) December 4, 2019

The attacking midfielder’s best performance came against Bournemouth at home when he scored two goals, posted a 100% take-on success rate and made eight successful recoveries during the match. Mourinho is smiling from the dugout and so are we because the new manager might have just unleashed a sleeping giant and it may well be his time to shine in the Champions League against Bayern.

Read | Twitter in disbelief as Manchester United beat Mourinho’s Tottenham

SERGIO CASTEL

Club: Jamshedpur FC 

Match: Kerala Blasters vs Jamshedpur FC

The Spaniard’s debut season with Jamshedpur FC in ISL 2019-20 campaign has been a delight to watch. Having scored five goals in his six appearances so far, Sergio Castel’s tenure on loan from Atletico Madrid is proving fruitful. An ambitious number nine, Castel’s consistency is what is keeping him going toe to toe with veterans like Sunil Chhetri and Roy Krishna.

Read | Jamshedpur FC’s Sergio Castel roaring his way to the top in the ISL

Castel has been an epitome of high work rate as well, making a total of nine crucial tackles with a decent passing accuracy of 48.38%. The Spanish forward is surely one who will be making headway for the Golden Boot this season.

LAUTARO MARTINEZ 

Club: Inter Milan

Match: Inter Milan v Barcelona

One of European football’s hottest emerging property now is the Argentinian forward, Lautaro Martinez. The forward has scored five goals in his last five Champions League outings and has paired up wonderfully with Romelu Lukaku upfront. The duo has now registered eight-plus goals after 15 Serie A matches as well and are running riot both in Italy and Europe.

Lautaro Martinez - simply unstoppable in recent months:

vs Sampdoria �?br /> vs Barcelona ⚽️
vs Juventus ⚽️
vs Sassuolo ⚽️⚽️
vs BVB ⚽️
vs Parma �?br /> vs Brescia ⚽️
vs Bologna �?br /> vs BVB ⚽️
vs Verona �?br /> vs Torino ⚽️
vs Slavia ⚽️⚽️
vs SPAL ⚽️⚽️

One of the best strikers in the world. pic.twitter.com/P9boEN6Z2K

�?FootballTalentScout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) December 1, 2019

The 22-year-old’s ascent has been duly noticed by Spanish giants Barcelona and an upcoming encounter against the Catalan giants might just be his biggest test till date and given his form, expect a goal or two from the Argentinian.

ROY KRISHNA

Club: ATK 

Match: FC Goa vs ATK 

ISL’s most prized possession this season has been ATK’s, Roy Krishna. The prolific striker is leading the charts with six goals in seven appearances in the 2019-2020 edition. Krishna was awarded the ISL ‘Hero of the month�?award for the month of November for scoring three goals in three games, making him the most successful striker in ISL this season so far.

Congratulations Roy Krishna for winning the Hero of the Month award, November 2019!#AamarBukeyATK pic.twitter.com/lwUXq1v5RE

�?ATK is in my DNA (@atk_dna) December 4, 2019

The Fijian international has also found solace in his attacking partnership with David Williams who seems to be relishing his playing time with the Fijian. With Goa up next, he will aim to extend his impeccable goal scoring form.

Read: The Roy Krishna story: From Fiji via New Zealand to India

AMINE CHERMITI

Club: Mumbai City FC

Match: Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC 

The Tunisian striker, Amine Chermiti was up and running over the weekend against Kerala Blasters as he smashed an equalizer and rescued a point for his team. The experience seems to be playing off lately as the 31-year-old has made tremendous progress, having scored four goals in his seven appearances and has emerged as Mumbai City’s saving grace in the past few games.

Read | Amine Chermiti’s experience a key element in Mumbai City FC’s surge

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

Witnessing a 24-year-old running down and easing past opposition defences is a delightful sight for any coach but Sergio Castel has done something edgy and something more rewarding after coming to the ISL with Jamshedpur FC on loan this season from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. His tenure at Atletico was restricted to the encounters with the reserve team but that didn’t hinder his prospect of joining India’s biggest league.

An ambitious number nine, Castel’s arrival at Jamshedpur has been nothing short of a revelation. The Spaniard has scored on five separate occasions in his six appearances in the ISL and has emerged as one of the most prolific forwards in the league.

Leading goalscorer of Hero ISL 2019-20 season ✔️
Highest goalscorer for @JamshedpurFC in #HeroISL history ✔️

Remember the name, Sergio Castel ❤️#Castel #JamKeKhelo #JamshedpurFC #TheRedMiners #PridePassionGlory #Football #IndianFootball #JFCNEU #TheFurnace pic.twitter.com/KvIBlO6bEF

�?Jamshedpur FC: The Red Miners (@the_red_miners) December 3, 2019

“It’s exciting to be part of this new project and come to a big club like Jamshedpur. It is one of the top clubs in India with a massive fan following.�?Castel had the privilege of playing in the Segunda Division B �?the third tier of Spanish football with UD San Sebastian de los Reyes where a phenomenal 2018-19 campaign that included 13 goals in 34 appearances laid the path for a brighter future in the game.  

Castel boosts a healthy profile of playing with Spanish clubs which includes UE Rubi, Osasuna, Las Rozas FC before Atletico Madrid came calling and signed him up, keeping him with their B-team. Being loaned out to Jamshedpur in the ISL, Castel’s ascent was a clear sign of his varied experience gained in the polished domesticity of Spanish football.

Read | ISL 2019-20 Week 6: Soosairaj, Kevyn finish off superb team moves

“I’m ready to score goals and help the team as much as I can, I’m training a lot so I’m fit to try to make a good start of the season and hopefully score more goals than last season with SS Reyes in lesser number of games.�?Castel’s consistency is what has worked for him so far as the lad has been on par with veterans like Sunil Chhetri. He is the leading scorer in the ISL 2019-20 campaign so far and has displayed immense authority whenever he has the ball at his feet. 

Castel has also earned praise from his Jamshedpur coach Antonio Iriondo, who likes to play the game with heavy possession and create as many chances upfront to score. Given Castel’s natural ability to make those runs between the defenders, his link-up play with midfielder Farukh Choudhary has been pleasing to the eyes of the Jamshedpur fans. 

Read | Key takeaways from Mumbai City FC’s 1-1 draw against Kerala Blasters

Although Castel has galvanized the entire spectacle of ISL, the 24-year-old still believes his dream of becoming a solid number nine are far from over. His ability to showcase his talent on the highest stage has been the reason behind Jamshedpur’s good run of form in the league so far. A winner against a FC Goa side loaded with defensive powerhouses is proof of that.

@JamshedpurFC's first-half strike from Sergio Castel gives them a 1-0 victory in #FCGJFC!@IndSuperLeague#LetsFootball #FCGoa #JamshedpurFC #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/0gWrO14h6q

�?Sportsnetic Shri (@Sportsneticshri) November 26, 2019

Out of the plethora of foreign players in the league playing this season, Castel has emerged triumphant in making a decisive change for his team for the better. He is clearly of the opinion that the ISL is a great platform for players to enhance their skills and test their powers of adaptability. The colours of Jamshedpur are surely working their magic on Castel but it’s a story of an upcoming quality striker that will have his name imprinted on the front page of many newspapers soon.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/ @Jamshedpur FC

As the Indian Super League nears the last international break of 2019, we take a look at the first 15 days of riveting football this season. So far, this edition has witnessed quite a number of brilliant goals, with new signings like Odisha FC’s Aridane Santana and ATK’s David Williams capturing major attention with their early peak.

Here we list down five ultimate goals scored in the first 15 matches of ISL 2019-20 that is sure to delight the fans.

ARIDANE SANTANA

Club: Odisha FC
Against: Mumbai City FC

Acquired on loan from the Spanish outfit Cultural Leonesa, the 32-year-old Santana has taken to the league like a duck takes to water. His best performance this season has come against Mumbai City FC away from home where he assisted one and got two in his kitty. 21 minutes into the game and youngster Jerry Mawihmingthanga laid a sweet ball for the striker on the edge of the box. It might have felt easier for the spectators, but there was still a lot to do than what met the eye. Santana, who connected the ball with his right, slotted home with a neat finish at the bottom right corner to give his team a two-goal cushion.

SERGIO CASTEL

Club: Jamshedpur FC
Against: Odisha FC

Despite being reduced to 10 men inside 35 minutes, Jamshedpur FC seemed reluctant on giving away a win. With the game tied at 1-1 until 84 minutes, the Men of Steel decided to up the thrust and capitalized on a counter. Piti, running towards the final line of defenders, found Sergio Castel on his right, and the Spaniard �?with his neat touch �?got into the goal-scoring opportunity. Francisco Dorronsoro did try closing him down, but a lovely chip over the keeper found the back of the net to send the home fans into a frenzy.

ROY KRISHNA

Club: ATK
Against: Hyderabad FC

Mere two minutes after Williams had put ATK in front with a neat finish against Hyderabad, new signing Roy Krishna made his mark with an absolute beauty from distance. The Fiji captain was afforded yards of space and he duly pounced upon the given opportunity. He indeed needed an assistant from the frame of the goal, but one cannot deny the exquisite class of his strike.

CARL MCHUGH

Club: ATK
Against: Kerala Blasters

The first game of the new ISL season kicked off in absolute style, with the away team, ATK finding the net in as early as the sixth minute. A long set-piece delivery was sent all the way to the away post and center-back Agus, with his tall frame, headed the ball into the dangerous area, founding fellow defender Carl McHugh, who decided to take the shot first time with a calculated left-footed volley. The ball swung over everyone including keeper Bilal Khan to find its way into the net.

MARCELINHO

Club: Hyderabad FC
Against: Kerala Blasters

After enduring back-to-back defeats in the opening two games, Hyderabad FC bounced back with a narrow 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters. As the match entered its final 10 minutes, Hyderabad were awarded a free-kick some 25 odd yards out. It indeed seemed a long way out, but up stepped the Brazilian, Marcelinho whose left-footed curler swung into the top left corner to give his side a much-deserved win. 

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @ATK

Unlike the previous years, the Hero Indian Super League teams have been quite insightful in terms of transfers this season. The franchises have opted for smart signings rather than going for marquee ones.

And this approach has made the league all the more interesting. Of course, there are several other reasons to be excited for the sixth edition of the tournament but these five players will give you an additional incentive:

1. Sergio Castel (Jamshedpur FC)

Jamshedpur FC have acquired some of the best young talents for the 2019/20 season. And amongst the lot is a certain 24-year-old loanee from the Atletico Madrid B team, Sergio Castel. Castel, who spent his early years with Barcelona-based side UE Rubi, has taken to the league like a fish to water, even scoring the winner during his team’s 2-1 win over Odisha FC in the league opener.

Castel is expected to lead the line for his team this season and a lot will depend on how he performs.

Read | Five Indian youngsters to watch for in ISL this season

2. Bartholomew Ogbeche (Kerala Blasters)

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker has been a revelation in the league since making his debut with NorthEast United in 2018. Riding on the back of his sensational performances, NorthEast reached the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

And the 35-year-old Nigerian followed his coach Eelco Schattorie as he switched alliances to the Kerala Blasters. His experience of playing at the top level proved handy on October 20, as he scored a brace to help Kerala to a 2-1 victory over ATK.

3. Asamoah Gyan (NorthEast United)

Gyan brings along a wealth of experience to the relatively young Indian Super League. Having represented the likes of Udinese, Rennes and Sunderland in the past, the 33-year-old Ghanaian promises goals, goals and more goals; something NorthEast would have missed with Ogbeche’s departure to Kerala.

A striker with a potent eye for goal, expect him to haunt defenders as the season progresses.

Read | Why Bengaluru FC won’t retain their ISL crown this season

4. Roy Krishna (ATK)

The captain of Fiji national team, Roy Krishna turned a lot of heads as soon as his signing was announced by ATK. The 32-year-old striker has spent his entire career playing in either New Zealand’s domestic league or Australia’s A-League.

A newcomer to the country, Krishna will lead the charge this season and will be in hunt for the golden boot against the likes of Sunil Chhetri and others.

5. Amine Chermiti (Mumbai City FC)

Tunisia’s Amine Chermiti has taken no time in asserting his authority in the league, having scored the winner during Mumbai City FC’s 1-0 won over Kerala Blasters on Thursday. Just like a few of the aforementioned names, the 31-year-old has represented some of the best European clubs during his career.

In a team which retained the likes of Modou Sougou and Paulo Machado, expect Chermiti to wreak havoc this season.

Read | Why this year’s ISL will be the biggest ever in history

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar