Football
ISL 2019-20 Gameweek 10 Roundup: ATK tighten their grasp on the top spot
Gameweek 10 of the Indian Super League was all about getting a better picture of who has it in them to make it to the playoffs. As things stand, Odisha FC continue impressing one and all with their form while ATK look all set to win the league stages barring a major upset.
A 2-1 triumph for Odisha FC over Hyderabad FC kicked the week off, their fourth win in a row. Odisha FC will take on Bengaluru FC later tonight as well, which will be another key game to determine who makes it to the playoffs. A regular 2-0 triumph of Chennaiyin FC over Northeast United FC followed next, and then Mumbai City FC roared back to life with another home win over Bengaluru FC. In the battle for the top 2, ATK FC upped FC Goa 2-0 at home while the next day saw Jamshedpur FC eke out a thrilling 3-2 win over Kerala Blasters.
Takeaways from Week 10
ATK FC keep showing tremendous character
It was a not a pleasant few weeks for ATK in December and January but the sensational win over FC Goa has established their credentials as the team to beat, once again. They have shown tremendous resilience to overcome the numerous lapses and the extreme criticism that they faced following their loss to Mumbai City FC to come out on top once again.
Bengaluru FC keep being inconsistent
The defending champions Bengaluru FC have a real shot to make it to the playoffs but they have been very inconsistent so far that will not bode well for Carles Cuadrat and his men, especially with continental duties set to begin from next month. The tie against Odisha FC is a critical one for the Men In Blue and they will be eager to prove a point tonight. Being able to keep Santana quiet will not prove to be an easy task for them though.
Some key stats from Gameweek 10:
Matches Played: 63
Goals Scored: 173
Average goals per game: 2.75
Most goals: 9 –Aridane Santana
Most assists: 5 — Brandon Fernandes (FC Goa)
Matches to look forward to in Gameweek 11
Bengaluru FC v Odisha FC
As mentioned before, this will be a critical tie to determine which team makes the cut for the playoffs: a total six-pointer, if there ever was one.
FC Goa v Kerala Blasters
FC Goa will be eager to get back to winning ways but Kerala Blasters has lately recovered their form as well so this will be a key clash between one side looking to get the first spot back while the other one is making a late surge to the playoffs spot.