There's been a shake-up at the top of the Indian Super League this week, with the five games over the last three days providing indications that we may have a three-team title race on our hands, while there were signs of a revival for two giants of the south.
We muse, on games 29 to 33 of the ISL.
Who can stop Bagan? Bengaluru, just...
For a few weeks on these pages now, we've waxed lyrical about Mohun Bagan, about how good they are, about how unstoppable they look. We can finally look back on something a little different. Bagan stomped up at the Kanteerava looking to hand Bengaluru FC a second straight home defeat after that woeful 2-0 loss to Punjab FC a fortnight ago.
However, just as Renedy Singh had promised the Bengaluru faithful, his team fought. Rahul Bheke marshalled the back four superbly as Bengaluru reduced Jamie Maclaren to having to largely feed on scraps. Sirojiddin Kuziev embodied calm in midfield, Ashique Kuruniyan was bright. Bengaluru's two biggest guns Sunil Chhetri and Ryan Williams had huge chances to score too, they didn't put that away.
Not putting those away nearly proved costly, as Dimi Petratos and Alberto Rodríguez missed late sitters for Bagan to make it five wins in five. Bagan are usually so good and so efficient that you can't give them an inch, this time Bengaluru gave them a yard but weren't made to pay. Renedy will point to the strength of their performance and say that perhaps they earned that bit of luck at the end, as they became the first team to take points off Bagan this season.
Jamshedpur shoot themselves in the foot
When Jamshedpur FC rocked up at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday afternoon, they'd have known that a win would take them two points clear at the top of the ISL table. They delivered their worst performance of the season, in a game that was decided by avoidable errors.
Yes, Andy Rodriguez scored with two excellent strikes, but both were gifts to him from Jamshedpur. The first - a free kick - went through the Jamshedpur wall, which broke for some inexplicable reason. The second came through a botched clearance from Mohammed Sanan to set up Rodriguez for a shot from outside the box, that he eventually made no mistake with.
This Bagan side won't give too many more opportunities for the likes of Jamshedpur to capitalise on, so there's a chance Owen Coyle will look back on this evening in Guwahati as the one where the title slipped away from them.
East Bengal's familiar tale of woe
Oh, East Bengal. How has this gone so pear-shaped so early in the season? Oscar Bruzon doesn't get along with their club officials, if reports in the Bengali language media are to be believed. At least, they have some seriously good footballers in their squad, right? Right?
Well, they do, but now they're not getting results. After a bright start saw them score seven on their way to winning their opening two games of the season, they've now gone three without a win. They're five points off Bagan in second, and seven off leaders Jamshedpur.
They're almost certainly staring at another season without a national-level trophy in men's football, and if those reports about Bruzon are to be believed, could perhaps head into another season of a rebuild another coach. Very familiar, extremely ominous if you're an East Bengal fan.
Let the kids play, Blasters
*Phew*
The sigh of relief from the Kerala Blasters fanbase on Saturday evening was an audible one. They're finally on the board. They finally have something to build on. And that building can happen if they give more chances to the younger players in the squad.
The goal to equalise in injury time against East Bengal came with Mohammed Ajsal heading home from an Ebindas Yesudasan corner, but that wasn't the only moment that spoke to the direction in which the Blasters must head. Vibin Mohanan pulled the strings superbly in midfield, Arsh Anwer Shaikh was impressive in goal too.
REMEMBER THE NAME! ��⚪️
Ajsal draws us level ⚖️#KeralaBlasters #KBFC #YennumYellow #EBFCKBFC #ISL12 pic.twitter.com/G0RQ0y42yr
- Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) March 14, 2026
So, the Blasters would do well to do as the tweet above says. Except next time, please also spell Ajsal's name right on his jersey?
The crests and troughs of Nsungusi Effiong
Punjab FC have a superb player on their hands. Of that, there is no doubt. He's now got four goals in four games. The fourth of those, the opener in the game against FC Goa, was a thing of beauty. Effiong received a pass on the right side of the area, opened his body, and curled an inch-perfect finish past Hrithik Tiwari in the FC Goa goal.
That was perfect for Punjab, and they were sticking to the game-plan to limit Goa perfectly. And then Effiong made another match-defining contribution. For the first time, this one defined it negatively for Punjab. As he projected his head into that of Pol Moreno, he gave referee Crystal John no option other than to send him off. Dejan Drazic made Punjab pay just five minutes later with a stunning finish off the outside of his boot.
That bhangra which Drazic led in the FC Goa's celebration must have stung for Effiong.
Chhangte leads the way for Mumbai, again
Lallianzuala Chhangte has been the best Indian player in the ISL so far. That isn't new to him. Being the lynchpin of Mumbai City's attack isn't new to him either. Scoring decisive goals in ISL games is something he's used to as well. And therein lies Chhangte's pricelessness to his team.
It might have been easy for Mumbai City heads to drop a little after conceding an equaliser to Inter Kashi's Rohit Danu early in the second half, but Chhangte ensured that it wasn't a problem by once again excelling at the poaching role that he has been superb at this season. Chhangte's positioning was crucial, as he ensured a cut-back from Jorge Ortíz got the finish that Mumbai City needed.
Mumbai City have gone under the radar, but they're only two points off the top. They wouldn't have been if they didn't have Chhangte.