Football
ISL: Punjab FC climb to third with win over Mohammedan- Talking Points
The Shers beat the ISL newcomers 2-0 and move to the third spot in the ISL table with 18 points in nine games.
Punjab FC climbed to the third spot in the Indian Super League (ISL) table after a 2-0 win over Mohammedan SC, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi on Friday.
Two second-half strikes from Luka Majcen and Filip Mrzlijak in the space of eight minutes was enough to seal the three points for the Shers, as they make inroads in the points table.
With 18 points in nine games, Punjab FC are a firm contender for the ISL Shield this season, along with Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan SG.
As for Mohammedan SC, they are in 12th spot, one above the bottom spot, with eight points in ten games.
#5: Big win for Punjab
Punjab FC came into the game with a clear gameplan: Get all three points, no matter what.
They had just 37% possession against Mohammedan, and they only had seven shots on goal but scored two goals. Talk about being clinical in front of goal!
Despite two-thirds of the possession and 18 shots, Mohammedan were unable to penetrate the Sher defense and ended up with a defeat.
The win takes Punjab FC to third place, and they've placed themselves as a contender for the ISL Shield, a remarkable rise for the club that came up to the ISL from I-League just a few years back.
#4: Mohammedan hasn't found life easy in the ISL
10 games. one win. two draws. seven defeats. five points. Mohammedan has had a difficult start to life in the ISL.
After a historic promotion from the I-League last year, it was expected that Mohammedan might struggle in the country's top division and it has shown.
Apart from the win at the Marina Arena in Chennai a few weeks back, things have not gone well for the Kolkata-based side.
In the last seven matches, Mohammedan have drawn one and lost the rest, a rough patch going on so far.
They will be hoping to pull things back in the coming weeks but it will take some adjusting for them, and they will be thankful for the no-relegation rule present in the ISL.
#3: A dream debut for Muheet Shabir and Abhishek
Punjab FC's goalkeeper Muheet Shabir and left-back Tekcham Abhishek Singh had debuts to remember.
A 2-0 win and a clean sheet is the perfect way to kickstart your ISL career, and Muheet and Abhishek were sharp and incisive with their game.
Facing 18 shots, of which only two were on target, Muheet looked composed and was a commanding presence in the box.
For the young fullback Abhishek, he looked extremely composed and contributed to the team's offensive and defensive structures.
This is the start of a promising career for two youngsters and it is safe to say, they've checked off the first things in their box.
#2: An exciting three-leg title race
With Punjab's win, the race at the top of the table has gathered steam with two other teams, Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan, also in the hunt.
Defending champions Mohun Bagan have their noses ahead slightly, with 20 points in nine games. Bengaluru FC are also on the same points, but have played one game extra.
Punjab FC are two points behind with nine games played, and in the upcoming weeks, it will be interesting to see which of the three can keep up with the other two in the title race.
#1: What next for both teams?
Punjab FC will face Jamshedpur FC away from home on 13th December at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur.
Mohammedan SC will be back in their home ground, facing in-form Mumbai City FC on 15th December.
