The Indian Super League never fails to surprise. Just when it seemed like ATK Mohun Bagan had the title all but locked up, along came Hyderabad FC to shake things up in Matchweeks 16 and 17. The struggling side took crucial points off FC Goa and Bengaluru FC, opening the door for Jamshedpur FC to emerge as a serious threat to Bagan’s crown. Meanwhile, Kerala Blasters have found their groove at the perfect time for a late playoff push. Let’s unpack all the key storylines from this wild fortnight of ISL action.
Hyderabad FC Plays Spoiler
In peak ISL fashion, it was the team farthest from the title that ended up having the biggest say in the race. Hyderabad FC entered this stretch mired in awful form, having taken just a single point from their previous seven matches. Few would have expected them to trouble high-flyers FC Goa and Bengaluru FC.
But Shameel Chembakath’s squad had other ideas. They went toe-to-toe with Goa in a 1-1 draw at Fatorda before thoroughly outplaying Bengaluru in a match they were unlucky not to win. The four points dropped by Goa and Bengaluru have proven massive, with both now facing a steep climb to catch Mohun Bagan. Hyderabad may not be done playing spoiler either – they host surging Jamshedpur FC next in what could be another pivotal result in this title chase.
Concerns Mounting for Bengaluru FC
While Hyderabad deserves immense credit, there’s no denying Bengaluru FC are in a worrying rut of form. The Blues are winless in their last three outings despite having advantageous expected goals (xG) in each match. Even the ageless brilliance of Sunil Chhetri, whose 10 goals have him in Golden Boot contention, hasn’t been enough to see BFC over the line of late.
Manager Gerard Zaragoza has to get his side back on track quickly before they completely fall out of the title picture. Their upcoming home date with Odisha FC looms as a must-win to stop the bleeding. The goals have dried up and the defense looks suddenly vulnerable – not a recipe for success with the stakes rising by the week.
Jamshedpur FC: Bagan’s Biggest Threat?
While Bengaluru and Goa have faltered, Jamshedpur FC is hitting their stride at the ideal moment. The Red Miners are simply a different beast at home, nicknamed The Furnace for good reason. In front of their raucous fans, they’ve taken a scorching 22 points from a possible 27 this season.
Most impressively, they just played Mohun Bagan to a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Jamshedpur thanks to a sensational coast-to-coast goal by defender Stephen Eze. That result, combined with a clinical 3-0 dismantling of Mumbai City FC in their previous away match, suggests Jamshedpur’s road woes may be behind them. With their remaining schedule, we could be looking at the side that pushes Bagan right to the end.
UNBELIEVABLE!!!! A moment of pure brilliance from Stephen Eze to level the score in #JFCMBSG
– Tweet from @Sports18
Kerala Blasters Surging Up the Table
Don’t look now, but the Kerala Blasters are one of the ISL’s form teams over the past month. Since sacking Mikael Stahre and promoting Thomas George Purushothaman to interim manager, the Blasters have taken 10 points from 5 matches – a tally second only to Mohun Bagan over that span.
The turnaround has been dramatic. Kerala have rediscovered their attacking verve while also showing newfound defensive steel, epitomized by their valiant rearguard effort to earn a draw against NorthEast United despite playing with 10 men for an hour. They still have work to do to get above the playoff line, but the Blasters are peaking at the right time to make a real run.
Frustration Building for NorthEast United, Odisha, Chennaiyin
While Kerala trend up, several other playoff hopefuls find themselves mired in concerning spells of impotence in the attacking third:
- NorthEast United have just 2 goals to show for a whopping 71 shots across their last 4 matches
- Odisha and Chennaiyin both have only 5 points from their past 5 games
For NorthEast especially, this is a maddening dry spell for a side that was scoring for fun most of the year. Manager Juan Pedro Benali needs to find a spark quickly or his team risks undoing their great early season work and tumbling out of the top four entirely.
Rough Times for East Bengal, Punjab FC
If the aforementioned sides are struggling, East Bengal and Punjab FC are in full-blown crises. The Kolkata giants had put together their best run of results in years across November and December, but have started 2025 with three straight losses to sink near the foot of the table again. Punjab FC’s fall has been even more dramatic – after winning 6 of their first 9 games, they’re now winless in 6 with 4 defeats.
Both teams are now In a dogfight just to make the top six and give their tortured fan bases something to cheer about this season. East Bengal is running out of time to salvage their campaign, while Punjab must recapture their early magic to avoid an utterly deflating end to such a promising start under Panagiotis Dilmperis.
The ISL continues to toss up plot twists and wild momentum swings week after week. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the balance of power, a new wrinkle emerges to set the table for more drama. Hold on tight, ISL fans – we’ve got a barnburner of a finish in store if these last two matchweeks are any indication.
