Top 5 Goalscorers in the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup
The 2024 Kalinga Super Cup was a resounding success with fans at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar witnessing high-octane football matches from the best in the country. While the majority of the Indian players were on national duty, the tournament allowed teams to field six foreign players in the starting line-up.
The foreign players completely dominate the list with no Indian representative. Cleiton Silva tops the chart with five goals to his name while five players are tied for the second spot with three goals each.
Mumbai City’s Ayush Chhikara also found the back of the net with three goals but had the most number of minutes under his belt amongst the forwards in question. Hence, he is excluded from the list.
On that note, here are the top five goalscorers in the Kalinga Super Cup 2024.
#5 Dimitrios Diamantakos (3 goals in 270 minutes)
Kerala Blasters were knocked out in the group stages of the 2024 Super Cup as Diamantakos’ three goals went in vain. Against Jamshedpur, Diamantakos stepped up to take two penalties and found the net both times but his side lost 2-3 and got ruled out of semi-final contention.
Against NorthEast United when Kerala Blasters were down 2-0, Diamantakos darted past the defenders and unleashed a left-footed shot from inside the box to pull one back for his side. However, the Highlanders scored two more goals to win the match 4-1.
#4 Nestor Albiach (3 goals in 260 minutes)
Nestor Albiach scored three goals for NorthEast United
Nestor Albiach emerged as the Highlanders’ top scorer in the tournament despite NorthEast United being knocked out of the tournament in the group stage. In the game against Jamshedpur, Albiach opened the scoring in the 17th minute but the Red Miners bounced back to a 2-1 win.
In the NorthEastern Derby, Albiach scored twice to help Juan Pedro Benali’s men register a 2-1 win against Shillong Lajong. In the 59th minute, Albiach stepped up at the right place at the right time to score the equaliser with his head. In the 67th minute, Albiach stepped up to take a penalty and score the second goal for his side.
#3 Carlos Martinez (3 goals in 252 minutes)
Carlos Martinez scored three goals in 252 minutes as Goa finished second in his group behind Odisha in the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup.
After receiving a cut-back from Noah Sadoui in the 66th minute, Martinez drifted past his marker and slotted the ball into the net to open his account in the tournament and help the Gaurs defeat Inter Kashi in a challenging battle.
Martinez also scored two goals but it was not enough to mount a comeback against Odisha as they fell short by 3-2 margin. In the 75th minute, The Spaniard capitalized on the possession conceded by Fall in the final third and slotted the ball past the keeper. Martinez stepped up to take a free-kick In the 86th minute and it took a wicked deflection before nestling into the back of the net to give Manolo Marquez’s side a hope of getting back into the match.
#2 Daniel Chima Chukwu (3 goals in 180 minutes)
Daniel Chima Chukwu finished the Kalinga Super Cup with 3 goals
Daniel Chukwu scored three goals helping Jamshedpur reach the semi-final of the tournament where they got knocked out at the hands of eventual champions East Bengal.
Chukwu’s first goal came when Jamshedpur was trailing 1-0 in the tournament opener and the lethal striker scored the equalizer when he trapped a cross from Steve Ambri and levelled the proceedings against NorthEast United.
Against Kerala Blasters, the 32-year old striker scored twice in their 3-2 win. Scoring the equalizer in the 33rd minute, Chukwu received a pass from Uvais and slotted it past the goalkeeper. In the 57th minute, Chukwu controlled a pass from Stevanovic and swivelled past his marker to give his side the lead.
#1 Cleiton Silva (5 goals in 450 minutes)
Cleiton Silva was the highest goalscorer in the Super Cup 2024 as the Brazilian sensation captained East Bengal and helped them end their 12-year trophy drought.
Cleiton Silva gave the Red and Golds the lead in the 33rd minute when he volleyed Rakip’s cross against Hyderabad. The Brazilian whipped his free-kick into the back of the net as East Bengal won the encounter 3-2. Silva’s biggest contribution came in the brace against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the final group-stage encounter.
Capitalizing on a loose ball at the edge of the box in the 24th minute, Silva fired a rocket of a shot to bulge the net. In the 80th minute, Silva scored his second goal of the match after the MBSG goalkeeper spilt an attempt from a corner kick as he netted the ball from close range.
As the game went into extra time against Odisha in the finals, Silva scored the winning goal in the 111th minute. After dispossessing Narender, Silva darted inside the box and slammed the ball past the keeper to lift the trophy for East Bengal.