Top 5 Moments of ISL 2022-23 So Far

Kolkata Derby, Splendid comebacks by ATK Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City, Odisha, and more

The 2022-23 Indian Super League is in full motion alongside the 2022 FIFA World Cup and each of the 11 teams is looking to win the ultimate top prize.

While there have been many upsets and giant killings in Qatar 2022, the ISL is no different as we have witnessed seven action-packed matchdays of league football.

Here are the top five moments from the ongoing ISL season that stunned football fans across the country.

#5 ATK Mohun Bagan wins the Kolkata Derby

Having won all four Kolkata Derbies in the ISL during the last two seasons, the Mariners were the favorites to win it for a fifth straight time yet again. Juan Ferrando masterminded a 2-0 win against East Bengal negating the attacking threat of Cleiton Silva and VP Suhair for most parts of the match.

Hugo Boumous and Manvir Singh scored within 10 minutes to put the game to bed as the Spanish tactician started bringing on defensive substitutes in Ashique Kuruniyan, Florentin Pogba, and Carl McHugh.

#4 Jorge Pereyra Dias scores against former club

Kerala Blasters fans were devastated when the news broke out about striker Alvaro Vazquez leaving the Tuskers for Goa. The Manjappada was quite confident about the other half of the strike-pairing, Jorge Pereyra Dias renewing his contract with the Kochi-based club.

Instead, Dias signed for 2020-21 ISL champions Mumbai City and had a tough time settling in as he failed to find the back of the net despite featuring in the first three matches. The Argentine striker eventually found the back of the net against his former club in front of the Blasters fans in Kochi breaking several hearts

#3 Odisha scored 4 goals to complete a splendid comeback

East Bengal’s story in the ISL has been a miserable one as the Red and Golds have been in the lower ends of the points table since their entry into the league. The Kolkata-based side did some good business ahead of the ongoing ISL season but had only won two of their first six matches.

Looking to win their second consecutive match after defeating Bengaluru 1-0, East Bengal was coasting along with a 2-0 lead at half-time against Odisha courtesy of goals from Thongkhosiem Haokip and Naorem Mahesh Singh.

Odisha gaffer Josep Gambau decided to introduce four substitutes at the half-time mark as Raynier Fernandes, Osama Malik, Sahil Panwar, and Issac Vanmalsawma made way for the quartet of Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Pedro Martin, Nikhil Prabhu, and Denechandra Meitei.

The match was immediately turned on its head as Martin scored a brace in less than three minutes of being on the pitch. Jerry and Nandhakumar Sekar also scored before the clock could hit the 80-minute mark putting the game to bed and completing the most incredible second-half comeback of the season.

#2 Dimitrios Petratos nets first hat-trick of the season

ATK Mohun Bagan had a rough pre-season where they crashed out of the AFC Cup and were knocked out of the Durand Cup in the group stage as well. Two-time champions Chennaiyin further mounted pressure on the side as they defeated the Mariners 2-1 in their season opener.

New signing Dimitrios Petratos stepped up against giants Kerala Blasters to give his team the much-needed three points and also scored the first hat-trick of the season netting in the 26th, 62nd, and 92nd minute.

The other four goals of the match were scored by Ivan Kalyuzhnyi, Joni Kauko, Rahul KP, and Lenny Rodrigues.

#1 Mumbai City rams in 6 goals against Chennaiyin

After two tough ISL seasons, Chennaiyin is also aiming to make it to the ISL knockout stages for the first time since the 2019-20 ISL season.

The Marina Machans have endured a topsy-turvy start to the season but they were looking right on track as they led Mumbai City 2-0 in the 32nd minute.

But, all hell broke loose as Dias pulled one back for the Islanders followed by a Greg Stewart penalty to make it 2-2 at half-time. Vinit Rai, Vignesh D, Alberto Noguera, and Bipin Singh scored four more goals as the Islanders became the first team to net six goals via six different goal-scorers in the ongoing ISL season.

Mohak Arora Parimatch brand sports expert