Here are the games this week, with their reports below (latest match first):
Mar 19: SC Delhi vs Jamshedpur FC (7.30 PM)
Mar 20: NorthEast United vs Odisha FC (5.00 PM) and Mohun Bagan vs Mumbai City FC (7.30 PM)
Mar 21: Mohammedan SC vs East Bengal (5:00 PM) and Kerala Blasters vs Punjab FC (7.30 PM)
Mar 22: Chennaiyin vs FC Goa (5:00 PM) and Inter Kashi vs Bengaluru FC (7.30 PM)
East Bengal 7-0 Mohammedan SC
(Anwar Ali 6', 79', Yousseff Ezzejjari 14', 55', Saul Crespo 38', PV Vishnu 75', Nandhakumar Sekar 90+6')
East Bengal registered the joint-biggest win in ISL history as they swept aside Mohammedan SC 7-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday evening, equaling the 7-0 margin that FC Goa beat Mumbai City FC by, in 2015.
Anwar Ali opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a left-footed strike from range, that squirmed underneath goalkeeper Padam Chettri's dive. Yousseff Ezzejjari scored his first of the night eight minutes later from the penalty spot, and then Saul Crespo got himself his first goal of the season with another penalty, which was concecded by Joseph Lalmuanawma for a tug on Edmund Lalrindika's shirt, which earned him his second yellow card.
If East Bengal were dominant before that red card, it turned into an attack vs defence training session after that. Ezzejjari scored his second of the day early in the second half, again from the penalty spot. Then, Anwar scored his second in the 79th minute, with his left foot once again, as Mohammedan failed to clear off a corner.
Nandhakumar Sekar put the icing on the cake in stoppage time with a right-footed strike past a hapless Chettri, as Mohammedan stayed rooted to the bottom of the ISL standings, with five losses from five games so far. East Bengal climbed up to fourth, just three points off leaders Mumbai City FC. They are level on points with Bengaluru FC, but are ahead of the southern side on goal difference.
Bengaluru FC 3-1 Inter Kashi
Braian Sanchez's second-half brace powered Bengaluru FC to an affirming 3-1 over Inter Kashi on the road, taking them to fourth on the points table and 3 points behind the leaders, Mumbai City FC.
Bengaluru FC faced an early setback before kick-off, as Ryan Williams picked up a slight muscle strain during warmup and was replaced by Namgyal Bhutia on the flank for his first start in the ISL this season.
After finding their rhythm and dominating possession in the opening minutes, Bengaluru FC broke the deadlock in the 20th minute of the game, when Ashique pounced on a loose ball after an error from the Inter Kashi backline, and finished it off with a powerful left footed shot into the roof of the net.
The lead for Bengaluru did not last long, as Alfred Moya made the most of a Poojary slip that put him through one-on-one with Gurpreet who could not keep Moya out as Inter Kashi drew level in the 38th minute.
At the break, it was all square and Bengaluru FC made one change before the second half as Suresh Wangjam replaced Fanai.
Sunil Chhetri came close to giving Bengaluru FC the lead in the 53rd minute, but he fired a left-footed shot straight to the Kashi No. 1.
In the 69th minute, after Ashique drew a foul on the left flank, Siroj's set piece delivery was not gathered by Tarres, and Braian Sanchez was present to head it in to put Bengaluru FC ahead with a little over 20 minutes to play.
With Kashi pushing for an equalizer, the pressure got to them in the last minute of play as their goalie played a false pass to Braian, who chipped it first time over him to give Bengaluru FC a 3-1 win.
FC Goa 1-1 Chennaiyin FC
A late header from captain Sandesh Jhingan helped FC Goa salvage a 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC in Chennai.
The result marked FC Goa's third consecutive draw as they remained unbeaten and stayed fourth in the standings with 10 points, while Chennaiyin FC are placed eleventh with five points.
The first half was evenly contested, with both sides creating opportunities but lacking the finishing touch in the final third. FC Goa had the first attempt in the eighth minute when forward Brison Fernandes tested Chennaiyin keeper Mohammad Nawaz, who gathered comfortably.
Despite a series of half-chances, however, neither side could find the breakthrough as the teams went into the interval level at 0-0.
Chennaiyin made a bright start to the second half and broke the deadlock in the 48th minute. A misplaced pass at the back from Sahil Tavora allowed Irfan to pounce, and the forward finished calmly into the bottom-left corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
FC Goa responded by making multiple changes around the hour mark and began to dominate possession in search of an equaliser. However, Chennaiyin's defence held firm, restricting Goa to long-range efforts, with Aakash Sangwan missing the target from distance and from a direct free-kick.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 87th minute. From a corner delivered by Drazic, Jhingan rose highest to power a header into the net and bring FC Goa level at 1-1.
Goa pushed for a late winner in stoppage time, but Nawaz produced crucial saves to deny Abdul Rabeeh and others, while substitute Daniel Lalhlimpuia missed a golden opportunity by firing over from inside the box.
Kerala Blasters 1-3 Punjab FC
(Fallou Ndiaye 65' - Samir Zeljkovic 7', Bede Osuji 18', Dani Ramirez 38')
The Kerala Blasters' ISL season went from bad to worse as they were beaten 3-1 at home in Kochi by Punjab FC, who put in an efficient attacking performance in the first half to leave David Catala's side looking nervously over their shoulders in the battle to avoid relegation from the ISL this season.
Punjab took the lead in the seventh minute through Samir Zeljkovic after a poor decision from Blasters goalkeeper Arsh Anwer Shaikh to charge forward and try to parry the ball, before ending up missing it. 11 minutes later, another Blasters error was pounced upon, as a loose pass from Hormipah Ruivah ended with Bede Osuji charging towards Shaikh's goal, and then shanking a finish past the goalkeeper. Dani Ramirez heaped the misery on the Blasters, with a header from close range after a parry from Shaikh.
In the second half, the Blasters were a bit better, and managed to pull a goal back after some poor goalkeeping allowed the Blasters in, before a cross from Jai Quitongo was powered home by Fallou Ndiaye.
The Blasters now have just one point from six games, and are 13th in the ISL, with Mohammedan the only team with fewer points than them.
Mohun Bagan 0-1 Mumbai City FC
(PN Noufal 27')
Mumbai City FC went to the top of the ISL with a superb 1-0 win over Mohun Bagan at the Salt Lake Stadium, courtesy a first-half goal from winger PN Noufal.
Mumbai City were the better attacking side in the first half, as they fed off superb hold-up play from Jorge Pereyra Diaz throughout the half. Captain Lallianzuala Chhangte should've given them the lead midway through the half, when he was put through one-on-one with Vishal Kaith, but his finish lacked direction, and Kaith was able to parry.
A few minutes later, the goal came through a lovely team move. Chhangte was played through down the right, and he sped past Alberto Rodriguez to get to the ball. He cut it in for Pereyra Diaz to hold up and play to Joni Kauko, whose pass to an unmarked Noufal on the left was perfect for the winger to curl home a first-time finish past Kaith.
Mumbai City should've doubled their lead before half-time, but Kaith once again made a superb save to deny Chhangte, and bettered it by denying Kauko on the follow-up as well, as Mumbai City had Bagan on the ropes.
In the second half, an injury forced Pereyra Diaz off early, and that robbed Mumbai City off any kind of foothold in the game. Bagan had all the possession and the territory, but little else. They had 17 corners in the game, and didn't really come close to threatening off any of them.
As a result, Mumbai City are now a point ahead of Bagan, and head into the international break as the league leaders.
NorthEast United 1-4 Odisha FC
(Macarton Nickson 10' - Rahul KP 6', 65', Subham Bhattacharya 25', Macarton Nickson (OG) 68')
Odisha FC picked up their first win of the season with a superb attacking performance to beat NorthEast United 4-1 in Guwahati on Friday evening. It was a game that was an entertaining one right from the start, but perhaps the biggest moment of it came when NorthEast midfielder Mayakkannan Muthu was sent off in the 36th minute.
Odisha took the lead through Rahul KP in the sixth minute, but NorthEast hit back immediately, with Macarton Nickson leveling things up just four minutes later. A set-piece meant that Odisha took the lead 15 minutes later, through debutant Subham Bhattacharya. As NorthEast chased Odisha again, Mayakkannan was sent off, and that changed the game, as Odisha took complete control.
They should've scored twice in the second half, before Rahul scored a second to put the game beyond NorthEast, after running through on goal and calmly finishing past Gurmeet Singh in the NorthEast goal. The hosts completely collapsed, and then three minutes later, Isak Ralte weaved his way into the area, and took a shot that took a couple of nicks before nestling in the back of the net.
Odisha are now up to eighth in the ISL standings, while NorthEast remain seventh, after a disappointing evening at thier home.
SC Delhi 1-1 Jamshedpur FC
(Sunny 21'; Stojanovic 89')
12,000 home fans saw Jamshedpur FC nab a last-minute draw as SC Delhi got a point that takes them above Kerala Blasters at the bottom of the league. Jamshedpur, at the other end missed out on a chance to go clear of Mohun Bagan and put distance between themselves and Mumbai City (who both have a game in hand and play each other tomorrow).
Joseph Sunny gave the home side an early lead when he stabbed home from close range off a Matija Babovic delivery from the left flank. They held Jamshedpur at arm's length for most of the match, only allowing them to accrue an xG of 0.74, even if they were not much of a threat themselves (0.25 xG). Owen Coyle's men, though, kept hammering at the door and a long ranger from Nikola Stojanovic finally squeezed its way past Nora Fernandes and his near post.