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The second season of the Indian super League came to a frantic end with Chennaiyin FC clinching the title in the dying moments of the game. The men from Chennai have by and far been the story of the season. A few weeks back, they were almost out of the reckoning for a place in the semis and now they stand as winners of the Indian Super League.However, it is not just Chennai; a few of the other teams have also impressed us. And on the other hand, there have been a few sides who have failed to live up to their expectations.Here’s an analysis of the performance of all the eight sides this season:
#1 Atletico de Kolkata
The reigning champions began the season on the right track with a win away at Chennai. Decent results followed but things took a turn for the worse thereafter.
Following the win against Kerala, Habas’ men lost three games on the trot. They won and lost the next two games respectively and by then their chances of making the last four were looking slim.
But then the likes of Iain Hume and Sameehg Doutie stepped up their game. Hume and Doutie combined on various occasions over the next few games and helped their side win four out of the next five games.
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It was not just these two players. Arnab Mondal, Borja Fernandez and the others clicked very well in the latter stages of the league campaign as Atletico became the first team to qualify for the playoffs.
Unfortunately for them, their journey ended at the hands of the eventual champions. However, the attacking brand of football played by the team would surely have delighted the fans and officials alike.
#2 Kerala Blasters
Last season’s finalists were possibly the most disappointing side of season two of the Indian Super League. Kerala suffered much through the early parts of the season after having let go of majority of their foreigners.
They lost four of their first six games and that more or less ruled them out of a place in the semi-finals. Due to the poor run of results, manager Peter Taylor was relieved of his duties and Terry Phelan came in as his replacement. Phelan’s arrival did bring about a change as his side beat Pune City 2-0 at home.
But then, that change was temporary. The Blasters then lost three of the next six games and ended the league stages at the bottom of the table with thirteen points from fourteen games.
Letting go of the likes of Stephen Pearson, Michael Chopra and especially Iain Hume backfired for the Sachin Tendulkar-owned outfit.
Some of their Indian players like Mehtab Hussain, Rahul Bheke and Mohammed Rafi fired but the likes of Chris Dagnall, Sanche Watt and Josu were major disappointments. The Blasters often put in good performances but results eluded them and in football, that is what matters.
#3 FC Goa
Zico’s men ended the season in the worst possible manner, losing out to Chennai in the final in front of their home fans. But Goa will be happy with their showing throughout the course of the season.
They began their season with a home win against the Delhi Dynamos and never really looked back after that. They were perhaps the most consistent side in the Indian Super League this season.
There were minor bumps which included heavy defeats against the likes of Atletico de Kolkata and Chennaiyin FC. But barring those two games, FC Goa looked to be in control.
The match against Mumbai City was one to remember for the team as they hit the back of their opponents’ net a record seven times. The likes of Dudu Omagbemi and Leo Moura starred for them in that match as they finished at the top of the table in the league stages.
Then, they comfortably brushed aside Delhi Dynamos thanks to a great second leg performance and booked a place in the final.
Sadly for them, they could not get the job done right at the end, as they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat to Chennaiyin FC.
#4 Delhi Dynamos
After having just missed out on a place in the semis last season, Delhi managed to do well this time around. However, they started on the wrong foot with an opening day loss away at Goa.
Thereafter, they regrouped and managed to win four out of their next five games, declaring themselves as title contenders. A few draws followed but Delhi never really looked like not making it to the semi-finals.
They were in control and that was largely due to their strong defence which included the likes of John Arne Riise and Anas Edathodika.
A major plus point for Delhi was the performance of youngsters like Seminlen Doungel and Souvik Chakraborty. Souvik in particular, was a revelation as a right-back and Len shone on the wings.
The Dynamos finished the league stages in fourth place with twenty two points from fourteen games. They played the first leg of their semi-final at home but failed to seize the opportunity, winning just by a solitary goal. That deficit was quickly turned around by Goa in the second leg as they went on to win 3-1 on aggregate.
There can be no denying the fact that Delhi did well this season and will surely be content with their semi-final run this season.
#5 NorthEast United FC
Ricki Herbert made way for Cesar Farias at the end of last season and that move just about worked for the John Abraham-owned side. The team finished with twenty points from fourteen games and just missed out on a place in the semi-finals.
However, taking the entire season into account, the side perhaps were always one win short of getting there. They were way too inconsistent as they managed to beat the reigning champions both home and away but then managed to concede five goals against Mumbai City.
This season did not begin well for Farias’ men as they lost their first three games. However, four wins in the next six games ensured that they were in the running for a place in the semi-finals.
It all came down to the wire and in the end, NorthEast had to depend on Pune City to ensure their qualification but that was not to be.
But then again, the team from Guwahati can take pride in their results this season. Apart from that, the performances of some young stars like Reagan Singh and TP Rehenesh is surely something to cheer for.
Had marquee man Simao not been injured early on, things could have turned out to be different for the team.
#6 FC Pune City
There is no way Pune City are going to forget this season in a hurry. David Platt’s men won four of their first six games and had built a sizeable lead at the top of the table. But things then took a turn for the worse.
Following the home win against the Kerala Blasters, the side managed to pick up only three points from a possible twenty four.
As Pune were losing one game after another, one could sense that they had peaked a bit too early in the competition and were now a side in free fall. Some change was needed to arrest that free fall but unfortunately that never happened.
On paper, Pune were possible the strongest outfit, boasting of the likes of Adrian Mutu, Sanli Tuncay, Didier Zokora, Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Jackichand Singh and yet these players failed to step up when it was most needed.
Pune ended the season on a disappointing note, losing their final home game against Chennaiyin and thereby finishing seventh in the table with fifteen points. Their poor away form was what let them down.
#7 Mumbai City FC
A lot was expected of Mumbai City this season and for some time it looked as if they would live up to our expectations.
They missed the services of Sunil Chhetri early on but after the arrival of the star striker, things seemed to have changed. Mumbai won three games on the trot but unfortunately for them, that was all they could manage. They picked up three points from their remaining seven games and that put them out of the reckoning for a place in the semi-finals.
The Sunil Chhetri-Sony Norde duo clicked for the team early on but that could not be sustained. The Indian captain even scored a hat-trick early on in the campaign but his goals dried out soon. The inability of the side to win away from home cost them dear.
The 7-0 defeat away to Goa very much showed the defensive frailties the side possessed and that made it very difficult for them to go through. They however, managed to win their last game of the season and in the process notched up their first away win in the Indian Super League.
#8 Chennaiyin FC
As has already been stated, Chennaiyin FC are the team of the tournament. Not because they emerged winners but because they displayed immense grit and courage to overcome all odds and do what they had set out to.
Chennaiyin did not begin the season in the best possible manner and throughout the course of the season, they struggled on quite a few occasions. Yet they shone when it matered the most.
They won the last four games in the league stages and waltzed their way into the semi-finals. There, they managed to brush aside the defending champions and in the final edged out the hosts FC Goa.
For the Chennai outfit, Stiven Mendoza was the pick of the players. Mendoza stepped up when Elano wasn’t finding his rhythm and took his side past the finishing line.
The likes of Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Harmanjot Khabra, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Bruno Pelissari, Apoula Edel and Bernard Mendy complimented him time and again and that led to their success.
Away from the game of football, Chennai over the past month has been ravaged by destructive floods. In the midst of all that, these players continued to do their job and that is what makes them true winners.
