ISL 2024-25 has created so much hype with probably the most entertaining start to a season ever in the league's history that fans have left guessing whether it is the best they are seeing. With the increase in the salary cap and two players allowed outside of the cap without an Asian quota to think about this time, the clubs have received a lot of mileage to build their teams. Hence, they were able to construct competitive squads this season resulting in some intense games straightaway. The majority of the matches in the opening month have seen high dramas and stoppage time winners. Leaving out some one-sided affair, the games have seen both teams scoring to make it a goal-fest. Fans expect these brands of performances to carry long into the season.
Here are the best games of the ISL 2024/25 season:
Mohun Bagan 2-2 Mumbai City FC - Salt Lake Stadium (13 September 2024)
The ISL 2024-25 opening game indicated an intense and entertaining campaign to unfold with Mohun Bagan welcoming Mumbai City in a repeat of the Shield and Cup final last season. While the Mariners were looking to avenge their Durand Cup defeat, the Islanders hoped to repeat their joyous Cup final-winning night at Salt Lake. In front of another strong crowd for this fixture, the home team seems to be reminding the night they defeated the visitors to lift their first ISL Shield when a Tiri own goal and Alvaro Rodriguez’s strike put them 2-0 ahead. However, like in the Durand Cup, the host lost the lead after a strong show by Mumbai City in the second half with Tiri redeeming himself by halving the deficit from a corner with Thaer Krouma heading in the stoppage time equaliser to rescue from a morale damaging defeat.
Odisha FC 2-3 Chennaiyin FC - Kalinga Stadium (14 September 2024)
Fans didn't have to wait long for another exciting game to play out as the next match after the opener produced a five-goal fest. Odisha FC, endured their best ISL season under Sergio Lobera last time, welcomed a new-look Chennaiyin FC who returned to the playoff stage after five years at Kalinga Stadium. Lobera’s side began in an expected way taking the lead from the spot through star striker Diego Mauricio inside nine minutes. However, it was Chennaiyin FC who looked lively between the sides throughout the game and changed their faith with an emphatic turnaround in the second half. The new arrivals shined with Farukh Choudhary scoring a quick brace early after the break to stun the hosts before Daniel Chima took the game out of reach with a cracking first-time volley past Amrinder Singh. Roy Krishna’s late stoppage time striker after a miscommunication at the back made it 3-2 but no force could have stopped Marina Machans from celebrating a chaotic win to start the new ISL season.
Kerala Blasters 1-2 Punjab FC - Kaloor Stadium (15 September 2024)
A show in the dying embers of the match defined the fixture between Kerala Blasters and Punjab FC at the Kaloor Stadium in Kochi. The Tuskers were looking to make a statement with their new attack but Punjab FC’s innovative transformation in the squad and on the management level have made them a different side. After it remained goalless until the last ten minutes plus stoppage time, the Shers’s inspiring striker put them in front from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute and a fitting reply to the jeers and abuse thrown at him by the home support. However, his shirtless celebration seemed to be deemed when Jesus Jimenez headed in for the Blasters’s equaliser for the stoppage time. However, the visitors never relented, launching a lethal counter-attack with Filip Mrzljak to silence the home fans again and make a winning start to their second ISL season.
Goa 1-2 Jamshedpur FC - Fatorda Stadium (17 September 2024)
Jamshedpur FC is another team that went through several changes this summer, losing prominent contributors of the previous season but also securing some eye-catching names. Even though they failed to get into the playoffs, the Men of Steels impressed under Khalid Jamil and they gave a hint of what is to come in their league opener. Facing last season’s semi finalists and a frontrunner for the Shield FC Goa, they went down on the stroke of half-time from former Mohun Bagan striker Armando Sadiku’s goal. Other teams would have got the hit of conceding at such a crucial time of the match. However, Jamil’s supposed pep talk recharged the team after the break with Javier Siverio leveling up from the spot to pave the way for the returning Jordan Murray to score a last-minute winner at Fatorda.
