East Bengal's dominance, Chennaiyin's comeback and other talking points from ISL 2023-24 GW 21

Mumbai City FC are on the verge of grabbing the ISL Shield with an advantage over Mohun Bagan.

The Indian Super League (ISL) is just a week away from wrapping up its group-stage fixtures before heading into the all-important playoffs. After an impressive action-packed week of ISL, several teams have been knocked out of the playoff race. Gameweek 21 saw Punjab, Jamshedpur FC, Bengaluru FC, as well as the NorthEast United, crash out of the playoffs race.

East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC on the other displayed some flamboyant football this week and kept their playoff hopes alive with crucial wins. Both East Bengal and Chennaiyin’s form this season had not been up to mark. Hence, the resilience shown by Carles Cuadrat’s side as well as the Marina Machas was incredible. This week unfolded a goalscoring fest as 24 goals were scored across eight matches. 

On that note, let us take a look at the talking points from Gameweek 21.

East Bengal eliminate Bengaluru FC and keep their hopes alive

The Red and Gold Brigade turned up the ante in Kolkata and gave their fans a reason to smile with an emphatic and much-needed victory over Bengaluru FC on Sunday. The Kolkata Giants not only kept their playoff chances alive but also showed Sunil Chhetri’s Bengaluru FC the exit door.

It was a massive result in the context of the playoffs race as they are now one of the only two remaining sides fighting for the sixth and the final playoff spot. Goals from Saul Crespo and Cleiton Silva ensured all three crucial points for the Super Cup champions.

Mumbai City FC just one step away from their third ISL Shield title

Mumbai City FC brought their A-game to the table in their high-stakes clash against Odisha FC. The Islanders marked Sergio Lobera’s return to Mumbai with a herculean performance and took a crucial step forward towards their third league shield title. 

They are now within touching distance of the league shield and it is a matter of days until they make it three out of four league in the last four seasons. Jorge Pereyra Diaz opened the scoring for Mumbai before Diego Mauricio equalized for the visitors but Lallianzuala Chhangte scored the winning goal in an exciting second half. 

Chennaiyin FC eliminate Jamshedpur and NorthEast United from playoff race

From being at the bottom of the table at the beginning of the season to being in a pole position for qualifying for the playoffs, Chennaiyin FC have come a long way. The Marina Machans picked up four crucial wins in their last five games and kept their playoff chances alive, including wins over Mohun Bagan, Odisha FC, Jamshedpur FC, and NorthEast United.

Owen Coyle and his men have turned the tables around for Chennaiyin FC at the right time. This week they pulled off a crucial win over Jamshedpur FC with a comeback performance, before getting another win over NorthEast United in a similar fashion. In this process, they eliminated both teams from the playoff race, opening the spot for them.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.