The matchday 8 of the 2023-24 Indian Super League came to an end as the fans witnessed East Bengal thrashing NorthEast United 5-0 on Monday.
Not only the last match, but the whole matchday was memorable for Indian football fans. From high-scoring thrillers to low-scoring fixtures, it had everything to offer. The Indian Super League table also witnessed several changes as the Guars jumped to the first spot and East Bengal also climbed up the ladder with a dominant victory.
Goalkeeper
Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (East Bengal)
Matchday 8 was a tough day at job for almost all the goalkeepers in the Indian top-tier football, hence, only a couple of shot-stoppers managed to keep a clean sheet. And one such name on the list was East Bengal‘s Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.
The Red and Gold Brigade professed a dominant statement at the Salt Lake Stadium where they locked horns against NorthEast United. Gill gave a praiseworthy performance against the Highlanders as he made a spectacular diving save in addition to eight recoveries.
Defenders
Amey Ranawade (Odisha), Nongmaikapam Meitei (Punjab), Brendan Hamill (Mohun Bagan), Jay Gupta (Goa)
In the last few matches, Amey Ranawade has emerged as one of the most reliable performers for Odisha. The Indian right back has proved that he can be trusted in attack as well as defense. Against Jamshedpur, Ranawade created a chance and also had five passes in the final third. On the other side, he also made nine defensive actions including four recoveries.
Nongmaikapam Meitei played an important role in Punjab’s 3-3 draw against Bengaluru on Matchday 8. The Indian defender completed eight clearances and seven recoveries. Moreover, Meitei also assisted his defensive partner Dimitrios Chatziisaias in scoring a crucial goal (26′) against the Sree Kanteerava outfit.
Brendan Hamill gave a defensive masterclass against Hyderabad on matchday 8. Hamill made two clearances and the same number of recoveries with a passing accuracy of 81%. In addition to that, he also jumped into the attack and took an accurate shot at the goal after completing a couple of dribbles.
Jay Gupta is one of the young rising stars in the Indian Super League
Jay Gupta has been giving reliable performance consistently for Goa in the ongoing edition of the Indian Super League. Moreover, one such performance came against Kerala Blasters on Matchday 8, where he didn’t let the likes of Adrian Luna and Kwame Peprah score.
Gupta made 13 recoveries and also completed four dribbles. In addition to that, he won 78% of the ground duels as he made three touches in the opposition box too.
Midfielders
Nikhil Prabhu (Punjab), Rowllin Borges (Goa), Ahmed Jahouh (Odisha)
New Indian Super League entrant, Punjab is currently suffering and trying hard to get their first win of their maiden campaign. Nevertheless, it seems like they will be shortly recording their first victory with the help of performances such as Nikhil Prabhu against Bengaluru.
With a passing accuracy of 76%, Prabhu capitalized on all the available opportunities against the Blues. The 23-year-old also broke the deadlock of the game in the 19th minute with the help of an assist from Madih Talal.
Rowllin Borges was Goa’s only goalscorer against Kerala Blasters, last week. Playing as a defensive midfielder, Broges took the responsibility of stopping attackers, however, he also stepped out to score whenever he got the opportunity, where he was assisted by Victor Rodriguez. He was later substituted in the second half by Udanta Singh due to an injury.
Ahmed Jahouh‘s experience has been working wonders for the Kalinga Warriors. Similar scenes were witnessed at JRD Tata Sports Complex Football Stadium, where Jahouh created five chances and also took three shots on target.
Moreover, the Moroccan midfielder also completed three crosses and had the most touches on the ball throughout the match. Ahmed Jahouh also assisted Roy Krishna for the only goal of the match.
Forwards
Cleiton Silva (East Bengal), Nandha Kumar Sekar (East Bengal), Jordan Murray (Chennaiyin)
Leading East Bengal’s attack against NorthEast United on Monday, Cleiton Silva scored two spectacular goals at the Salt Lake Stadium. Silva took three shots on target, out of which he scored twice. In addition to that, he also created a chance with a passing accuracy of 80%.
Former Odisha forward who joined East Bengal earlier this year, Nandha Kumar Sekar came into the match as a substitute in the second half and managed to have an instant impact on the game. Sekar was subbed in the place of P V Vishnu, who had a decent first half.
However, Nandha Kumar changed the whole game with his arrival. With a passing accuracy of 85%, he scored twice, assisted Cleiton Silva, and created two goalscoring opportunities. Moreover, he was also named as the player of the match against NorthEast United.
Chennaiyin played a 3-3 draw against Kerala Blasters as Jordan Murray scored twice
Jordan Murray scored twice against Kerala Blasters to help Chennaiyin avoid the danger of a loss. The Australian forward kept his composure throughout the match and took 3 shots out of which one ended up going inside the net. He also scored a penalty for Chennaiyin.
Bench
Amrinder Singh (Odisha), Seriton Fernandes (Goa), Odei Onaindia (Goa), Subhashish Bose (Mohun Bagan), Danish Farooq Bhat (Kerala Blasters), Liston Colaco (Mohun Bagan), Naorem Mahesh Singh (East Bengal), Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters), Kwame Peprah (Kerala Blasters)
Odisha’s Amrinder Singh made three saves against Jamshedpur and also worked as a unit with the defense by making three recoveries.
Odei Onaindia has managed to build a strong partnership with Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan for Goa. The defensive duo haven’t conceded a single goal in the last four matches.
However, taking a look at their performance against Kerala Blasters, Onaindia had a better day than Jhingan. The Spanish defender made 11 clearances, five recoveries, and three interceptions against the Tuskers.
Seriton Fernandes was also a key figure in the Goa defense as Manolo Marquez’s side went atop the league standings by dealing with the threat of Adrian Luna and Dimitrios Diamantakos.
Alongside Brendan Hamill and Hector Yuste, Subhashish Bose also emerged as a rock in the defense of Mohun Bagan against Hyderabad. Bose blocked two shots and made three clearances as well as three recoveries.
Liston Colaco has managed to become an important part of Juan Ferrando’s Mohun Bagan at a young age. Playing against Hyderabad, Colaco filled the boots of a left midfielder as well as a left back. While he created three chances, the 25-year-old also made 11 recoveries and won five duels.
Naorem Mahesh Singh, who has also been performing consistently for the Indian football team, assisted Nandha Kumar Sekar twice in the second half for two spectacular goals against the Highlanders. Playing against Chennaiyin, Kwame Peprah scored an important goal for the Tuskers, where he was assisted by Kerala Blasters veteran Adrian Luna. During the same match, former Bengaluru midfielder Danish Farooq Bhat also proved his prowess by assisting Dimitrios Diamantakos as the Greek striker scored two goals in the Southern Derby.