INDIAN STARS
LALLIANZUALA CHHANGTE
(Mumbai City FC) 7 goals, 6 assists
VIKRAM PARTAP SINGH
(Mumbai City FC) 7 goals, 3 assists
MANVIR SINGH
(Mohun Bagan Super Giant) 3 goals, 7 assists
PARTHIB SUNDAR GOGOI
(NorthEast United FC) 5 goals, 4 assists
NANDHAKUMAR SEKAR
(East Bengal FC) 5 goals, 3 assists
SUNIL CHHETRI
(Bengaluru FC) 5 goals, 3 assists
LISTON COLACO
(Mohun Bagan Super Giant) 4 goals, 4 assists players in the League.
For Mohun Bagan SG, Manvir Singh has been one of the most consistent performers. A speedy winger, he has the knack for creating space and delivering menacing crosses, which star strikers like Dimitrios Petratos feed off.
THE BAGAN SUPREMACY
On Monday evening, it was another Indian, Liston Colaco, who drew first blood for Mohun Bagan with a screaming strike in the 28th minute. Dropped from the previous game, Colaco was eager to prove a point. He ran in from the left, latched onto the ball and danced past Mehtab to send the ball into the top corner.
Though this Bagan team hasn’t used the overly defensive template of Habas’ previous sides, they were solid in defence. While Vikram was missing due to suspension, they suffocated Chhangte and blunted Mumbai’s attack in the final third. Chhangte, AIFF’s player of the season last year, had a chance to level the score just before half-time, but couldn’t tap in the ball cleanly.
For possibly the first time this season Mumbai looked lost for ideas; their chief creator Alberto Noguera didn’t fire either and was substituted in the second-half. Even as Mumbai was searching for the elusive goal, they let their guard down and were hit by Bagan on the counter. Jason Cummings scored in the 80th minute to take the game beyond Mumbai. Though Chhangte attempted a late revival by converting a half-volley in the 89th minute, it wasn’t enough for the visitors.
While Bagan danced and celebrated into the night, all is not lost for Mumbai City FC. As they learnt last season—the hard way—they could win the shield and still lose the ISL title. They will now have a shot at the championship as the ISL knockouts begin on 19 April. Bagan and Mumbai City FC have already earned their semi-final berths by virtue of being the top two teams in the League. But Odisha FC, Kerala Blasters, FC Goa and Chennaiyin FC are all still in the mix and could upstage either of the Kolkata and Mumbai teams to finish with the silverware in the finals on 4 May.