ISL 2026-27: Nikhil Barla, Ake Loba lead charge in Team of the Week for Matchweek 3

NorthEast United lead the 2026-27 ISL standings after Matchweek 3.

The 2026-27 Indian Super League (ISL) season, which began with great excitement and hope of restoring fans’ lost faith in the league, is off to a thrilling start, with three game weeks of exciting football culminating in a dramatic draw at the Fatorda Stadium.

The game week began with a goal fest in Pune, where Antonio Lopez Habas’ side secured their second consecutive win of the 2026-27 ISL campaign, registering a 1-5 victory over Inter Kashi FC. This was followed by a goalless draw at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where Alaeddine Ajaraie missed a last-minute penalty that could have given NorthEast United FC their third consecutive win of the season against Odisha FC.

The third game of the week was a nail-biting encounter between Churchill Brothers SC and Punjab FC at the Fatorda Stadium. Both sides were involved in a thrilling contest that the Shers won 2-3 in the 95th minute, with one of their own, Sanathoi Singh, scoring the winner.

This was followed by another goalless draw in Kochi, where Kerala Blasters FC and Mumbai City FC created several chances but failed to find the winning goal, settling for a point each.

On Monday, in Kolkata, Chennaiyin FC stunned the home side, Mohun Bagan SG, with their approach and the way they took the game to the Mariners, something few had expected. However, they once again failed to score and eventually lost 1-0 to Mohun Bagan.

The final game of the week saw FC Goa return to Fatorda and ISL action following their disappointing AFC Challenge League campaign. They appeared destined for a 0-1 defeat against SC Delhi until Alex Vallejo scored a stoppage-time equalizer to salvage a point.

From the return of the Yellow Army to the stands with renewed hope to record-breaking viewership for a single ISL match, there have been plenty of positive signs in the ongoing season, which is being run by the clubs.

NorthEast United FC lead the table with seven points, while six teams are yet to register a win. Inter Kashi FC sit at the bottom with one point and a significantly worse goal difference than Chennaiyin FC and SC Delhi, who also have just one point.

Despite several players stepping up and playing crucial roles for their respective teams, here are the eleven players who have made it into our Team of the Week, featuring a Ralf Rangnick-inspired 4-2-2-2 formation.

Formation (4-2-2-2)

GK: Vishal Kaith

Matchweek 3 of the ISL featured several impressive goalkeeping performances, with Hrithik Tiwari, Amrinder Singh and Vishal Kaith all stepping up for their sides to keep clean sheets.

However, Kaith edges the others because of the impact he had on the game. He made six saves, including a crucial one-on-one stop against Irfan Yadwad that stood out among the best saves of the week.

He also made two high claims and two punches to secure all three points for his side against his former club, Chennaiyin FC.

LB: Naocha Singh

Making his first start under head coach Ashley Westwood in the ISL for Kerala Blasters, it was crucial for Naocha Singh to deliver a performance that would help him retain his place in the starting XI in the long run.

He did just that against Mumbai City FC, producing a strong defensive display despite limited involvement in attack.

He won three of his four tackles, won six duels and was not dribbled past once. Naocha also made six key recoveries, along with a few crucial interceptions and clearances, minimizing Farukh Choudhary’s impact.

CB: Clarence Fernandes

Clarence Fernandes, who is enjoying a breakout ISL season with SC Delhi following the departure of Alex Saji, showed glimpses of why he is so highly rated as a young center-back with his performance against FC Goa.

In fact, the Gaurs failed to find an equalizer while he was on the pitch. Clarence made six clearances, won four duels, recorded three interceptions and made one tackle.

He played a crucial role at the back alongside Sporting Club Delhi’s two foreign defenders against an in-form striker like Chiki.

CB: Pramveer Singh

Although Odisha FC did not pose a significant threat or create many clear-cut scoring opportunities against NorthEast United, Pramveer Singh stepped up and played a crucial role in the backline whenever called into action.

He displayed good athleticism and physicality against the likes of Everton and Eid, won all his tackles, won three duels, made four clearances and recovered the ball six times, often high up the pitch.

Pramveer was also highly effective with his distribution from the back, completing 14 of his 16 long balls to switch play or release his pacey wingers on quick transitions.

RB: Nikhil Barla

Nikhil Barla, who joined NorthEast United FC late in the transfer window following the sudden closure of football operations at Jamshedpur FC, delivered his best performance in the club’s colors and showed why Juan Pedro Benali and the club’s management wanted him.

He won all his tackles, made eight clearances, won six duels and, most importantly, recorded 11 recoveries on the right flank.

These numbers underline the impact the young full-back had on the game. He also came close to scoring his first goal for the club with a long-range effort that tested Hrithik Tiwari.

CM: Tomba Singh

Making his first start for the Gaurs after joining from Inter Kashi FC in the summer, Tomba Singh was excellent in the middle of the park and earns a place in our 2026-27 ISL Team of the Week for Matchweek 3, even though his midfield partner Alex Vallejo was the one who scored the goal.

Tomba recorded 95% passing accuracy and completed most of his long balls while also creating a big chance in attack.

Defensively, he won all his tackles, won five duels and made 11 recoveries to regain possession against an SC Delhi side that was extremely quick in transition.

CM: Sergio Llamas

Despite Mumbai City FC’s lackluster start to the ISL season, Sergio Llamas has been consistent with his performances in the middle of the park. Against Kerala Blasters FC, where he faced a player like Adrián Luna, he delivered an impressive all-round performance in both attack and defense.

Going forward, he created two key chances, one of which came from a set-piece, while completing all his long balls (7/7) to release the likes of Noufal and Ajsal.

Defensively, he won all his ground duels (8/8), won most of his tackles and made five clearances.

LM: Vishnu PV

After coming off the bench and providing an assist in the opening game, Vishnu PV earned his first start of the season against Inter Kashi FC when Habas rotated his side ahead of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two clash against Al-Seeb.

Vishnu started on the left wing and delivered an excellent performance, linking up well in the final third through his one-touch passing and intelligent movement.

He created four big chances and had just one unsuccessful touch. He was also rewarded for his brave attempt to test the goalkeeper at the near post from a tight angle during a quick transition, with Albino Gomes eventually making an error that resulted in a goal.

RM: Sebastian Gutierrez

Sebastian Gutierrez, who was arguably the best player during Churchill Brothers’ controversial 2024-25 I-League title push, scored on his first-ever ISL appearance against Mumbai City FC. However, the game against Punjab FC was arguably the one in which he announced himself and answered why the club and coach had brought in to make an impact in the ISL.

Both the times Punjab FC took the lead in the first half, Gutierrez stepped up to score the equalizer, completing his brace.

He also created a couple of chances for his fellow attackers, and it felt unjust that he ended up on the losing side despite his efforts.

ST: Messi Bouli

Messi Bouli, whom Punjab FC head coach Pavlos Dermitzakis claimed was not his preferred signing or the club’s choice, once again proved why he is crucial to the way the Shers play under the Greek head coach.

After playing a key role in their opening win against Odisha FC by scoring both goals, he was once again involved in all three goals during their second victory of the 2026-27 ISL season. He scored the opening goal, while his shot was deflected by an opposition defender before Planas converted the rebound for the second.

Although he handled the ball in the build-up to the third goal, what ultimately mattered was the assist he provided to seal all three points for the Shers.

ST: Ake Loba

Making his first start in the ISL for East Bengal, Ake Loba played just an hour of football, but it was enough to show why he could be a major asset to East Bengal’s attacking fortunes this season.

Loba was involved in all four goals East Bengal scored in the first half. He set up the opening goal for Dani Ramírez, although he was not credited with the assist. He then set up Vishnu PV for the second goal before converting a penalty to score his first goal for the club and make it 0-3.

Late in the first half, he made a brilliant run to get into position, beat Pratik and head Bipin Singh’s cross into the back of the net, completing his brace.

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