ISL 2022-23 Playoffs: Strengths & weaknesses of all 6 qualified teams

The upcoming playoffs are going to be full of exciting footballing action.

Bengaluru FC’s win over FC Goa at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday meant the end of the race for the Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs spots. During the 2022-23 campaign of the league, six teams had the chance to play in the playoffs fixtures in order to win the ISL title.

The race for the playoffs was intense. With Mumbai City securing the League Winners' Shield and Hyderabad FC confirming the second spot early in the season, there was an intense fight for the remaining four positions. Post MCFC and HFC’s ascension to the playoffs, ATK Mohun Bagan and Kerala Blasters made it to the next phase with Bengaluru FC following them.

Then, it was a direct contest between FC Goa and Odisha FC for the last spot and the latter came out on top after a dramatic finish. With the excitement high among the fans for the ISL 2022-23 playoffs, here is a look at the six teams that qualified:

Mumbai City FC

Mumbai City have been in a league of their own during the 2022-23 campaign. Des Buckingham was two games away from guiding the club to an invincible season. The Islanders won the ISL 2022-23 League Winners' Shield in style and look like favourites to lift the ISL title as well.

Strength & Weaknesses

A strong Indian contingent is one of the main assets of Mumbai City. Players like Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh and Lalengmawia among others are in sensational form. Add to that, players like Jorge Diaz, Greg Stewart and Mourtada Fall make the Islanders dangerous. However, the last two league games led to two defeats for the side which could be an issue heading into the playoffs. 

Hyderabad FC

Hyderabad FC are the second team behind MCFC to secure a direct berth in the semi-final of the ISL playoffs. The reigning champions of the Indian Super League enter the playoffs with hopes of defending their crown. Manolo Marquez is the driving force behind the Nizams who continue to punch above their weight in the competition.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Hyderabad FC are a tough nut to crack. They have one of the best defences in the league and can be lethal in counter-attacks with players like Mohammad Yasir and Halicharan Narzary. They also have finishers like Bartholomew Ogbeche and Javier Siverio who love to pounce on deliveries inside the box. An area of concern for HFC will be their form heading into the playoffs. 

Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC’s ISL 2022-23 campaign is one of the best stories of a complete turn of fortunes. The Blues were looking at a dismal campaign with only three wins from the first 12 matches. Just when things were looking bleak and hopes of playoffs non-existent, Simon Grayson’s men won an incredible eight games in a row to secure playoff qualification.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Sivasakti Narayanan is emerging as the best Indian forward this season. He has six goals for the Blues from 17 appearances. The striker scored a brace in the final league win against FC Goa too. Players like Sandesh Jhingan and Javi Hernandez are also key performers that can guide BFC to a second ISL title. At the moment, the club cannot take a wrong step and have the best momentum heading into the playoffs.

ATK Mohun Bagan

ATK Mohun Bagan had a lot of pressure to deliver playoffs qualification considering the quality of the team. Juan Ferrando has one of the best squad depths at his disposal which will give him the edge heading into the playoffs. The Mariners got a crucial win over Kerala Blasters FC that put them in a position to qualify for the playoffs.

Strengths & Weaknesses

ATK Mohun Bagan are struggling to score goals. It has been their biggest shortcoming this season. They have 22 goals in 20 matches in the league stage, the fewest amongst the top six sides. Having said that, players like Dimitri Petratos and Hugo Boumous could single-handedly change the fortunes of any game and such quality will always favour the Mariners in tight situations.

Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters are yet to win the Indian Super League. The Yellow Army reached the final last time but lost to Hyderabad FC in the final on penalties. It was a case of so close yet so far for Ivan Vukomanovic’s men. The club will have a chance to finally win their first-ever ISL title but have a difficult road ahead.

Strengths & Weaknesses

While Kerala Blasters FC is tactically sound, they are struggling to find consistency and rhythm this term. Heading into the final league game of the ISL 2022-23 season, KBFC lost three in four. Having said that, players like Adrian Luna give fans of KBFC a lot of hope. He is one of the best foreign players in the league. Domestic players like Sahal Abdul Samad, Rahul KP and more must pull their weight in the playoffs.

Odisha FC

Odisha FC wrote a new chapter in their brief history by securing playoffs for the first time ever in the ISL. The Kalinga Warriors lost their final league game against Jamshedpur FC and had to rely on Bengaluru FC to defeat the Gaurs in order to reach the knockout stages. While qualifying in such a manner was not the plan, the club will look forward to producing a few upsets.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Odisha FC has decent individual players such as Diego Mauricio and Saul Crespo that can swing any game towards their team. However, it also exposes a lack of cohesion in the team. The club needs more from the rest of the squad that relies too much on Maurcio’s goals. The striker has scored 12 of the club’s 30 goals in the league stage.