The 7th Airtel ILeague has almost reached its half way stage, with 11 rounds completed. It has been a topsy turvy I-League so far. For the first time ever, there has been no hattrick after 11 rounds. Also, after 63 matches just 147 goals have been scored, the lowest average of 2.3 goals per match.
Most of the fancied teams have struggled so far.
Holders Churchill Brothers have won just one of the 10 matches they have played and are second from the bottom.
Five times champions Dempo and Kolkata giants, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Due to their AFC Cup commitments, East Bengal have played fewer matches, just seven till now. They are on 11 points and so mathematically could join the frontrunners.
In the top half of the table, there are five clubs who have never won either the ILeague or the earlier National Football League.
They are the newly-formed franchise Bengaluru Football club, Pune FC, United Sports Club, Sporting Clube de Goa and Shillong Lajong. Like the Bengaluru-based club, both Pune FC and Shillong Lajong were formed in the 21st century.
These new clubs are doing well because of professional management, a good youth development programme, working with a stipulated budget and above all they are striving to become community based clubs.
The century old monopoly of Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal as the only supporter-based clubs is also being challenged. Both the Meghalaya clubs Shillong Lajong and Rangdajied United played a thrilling 1-1 draw before a capacity crowd of about 25,000 spectators at Shillong.
From mid-day there was animated discussion in the city centre about the Shillong derby match and many bets were placed. It was a carnival like atmosphere at the match itself, with the rival supporters waving banners, flags and chanting slogans and songs of encouragement. The overall attendance at the 7th I-League will dramatically increase as there is now a Kolkata and a Shillong derby.
Newly promoted Rangdajied United, the 30th team in the NFL/I-League are the only side yet to record a win and are stranded at the bottom of the table with just five points. But their fortunes could change as they have signed some classy professionals recently released from their IMGReliance contract. They are India’s best goalkeeper Subrata Paul, experienced defender Gourmangi Singh, promising striker Manandeep Singh and another North Korean striker Kim Song Yong. If Rangdajied can avoid relegation, the tempo and intensity of their derby match with Lajong in future ILeagues will rapidly increase.
Another unusual feature is in the top scorers’ list.
Both Ranti Martins and Odafe Onyeka Okolie have topped the goals tally for the last eight seasons. But this season Odafe is yet to score and the Brazilian Josimar (Mohammedan Sporting), Scottish Darryl Duffy (Salgaocar) and Trinidad’s Cornell Glen (Shillong Lajong) are at the top of the goal-scoring list with seven goals each.
The catchment area for foreign professionals is increasing in each I-League.
For the first time a player from Egypt is in action, midfielder Abdel Hamid Shabana for Churchill Brothers who have also recruited defender Naser El Sabai and striker Yasser Shahin, both from Syria.
