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)
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.