The Indian Super League saw action after a two-week gap for the international break and it was a scintillating watch. While it was not particularly a week filled with goals, only nine were scored in five games, some of them were off the top drawer as the scorers displayed incredible skill and improvisation to pull it off.
We take you through four of the best goals in gameweek five of the ISL:
SUNIL CHHETRI
Club: Bengaluru FC
Against: Kerala Blasters FC
As the commentator said when Chhetri scored the goal, the man needs no introduction. The captain of the Indian football team has been an inspirational figure since his debut in 2007 and this week in the ISL, he pulled off a great training ground move, though it was helped by some lackluster defending from Kerala Blasters.
Bengaluru won a corner early in the second half and Spaniard Dimas Delgado swung in a great ball into the centre of the box. Chhetri, who had stayed out of the D, ran in fully unmarked and timed his dive perfectly to head the ball into the far corner and out of the reach of the goalkeeper, all while avoiding a potentially nasty hit on the head from a desperate, last-minute stray tackle.
The goal showed Chhetri’s commitment to the cause, and most importantly, gave Bengaluru a narrow 1-0 victory in the south-Indian derby.
PANAGIOTIS TRIADIS
Club: NorthEast United FC
Against: Mumbai City FC
Last night’s game provided the thrilling goals football fans would have craved for and there were three of them. The first of those was scored by Greek winger, Triadis. He was gifted the ball on the left-wing and cut onto his right immediately, creating some space to get his shot away.
He already knew what he wanted to do and once the space opened up, Triadis let fly with his right foot, and the contact he made was sweet and powerful that the ball kept swerving away from Amrinder in the Mumbai City goal and nestled itself in the right-hand side corner, giving NorthEast the lead in spectacular fashion.
Read | How Mumbai City FC midfielders kept NorthEast United on toe
AMINE CHERMITI
Club: Mumbai City FC
Against: NorthEast United FC
Mumbai were reeling from Triadis’ early strike but they equalized in the 23rd minute as Tunisian, Amine Chermiti finished off a slick team move to tap home from a few yards out. But it was his second goal that deserved the plaudits.
Mumbai City grew into the game after that and took the lead nine minutes later. They won a free-kick just after the half-way line and Paulo Machado’s poor effort somehow made it as far as Chermiti, who improvised beautifully.
With his back to the goal, the striker quickly read the bounce and twisted his body to make contact at just the right time and send it past the keeper. It may not have looked all that great at first sight but the brilliant reflexes and presence of mind to divert the ball was indicative of his quality.
ASAMOAH GYAN
Club: NorthEast United FC
Against Mumbai City FC
This goal was another example of exemplary presence of mind and quality. Asamoah Gyan in his debut season in the ISL has already scored three goals in three games and this effort will probably be underrated.
Mumbai gave the ball away in the middle of the park and Martin Chaves quickly passed it upfront to the ever-aware Gyan. He took a couple of touches to keep it in his stride, and then jinked left to draw both centre-backs toward him.
Gyan did not take the shot but instead jinked right to his favourable foot, making some space in the process and rifled one into the top-left corner of the net with precision, leaving neither the defenders nor the keeper with any chance to equalize for NorthEast.
You can check out the three aforementioned goals here:
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @MumbaiCityFC
