ISL: Kerala Blasters lead Team of the Week for Matchweek 5

The Indian Super League (ISL) returned to action after an international break. Understandably, the excitement level was high in Matchweek 5 which saw fierce battles, including the Kolkata derby.

Mohun Bagan won the first derby of the season against East Bengal FC, resulting in the fifth consecutive defeat of the season for the Red and Gold Brigade. The defeat to Odisha FC prolonged East Bengal's losing streak to six.

On the other hand, Bengaluru FC continued their unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory over Punjab FC and is still leading the league table, whereas former champions Mumbai City FC registered their first win of the tournament against FC Goa.

Here, we at The Bridge curated the Team of the Week for Matchweek 5:

Goalkeeper

Albino Gomes (Jamshedpur FC)

Albino Gomes had a great game against Hyderabad FC, who handled tremendous pressure throughout the match. He made seven saves, many of them from long rangers.

He also made a few point-blank saves from inside the box to keep his team's winning momentum alive. His solid showing took Jamshedpur FC to the second position in the league table.

Defenders

Roshan Singh (Bengaluru FC)

Roshan Singh continued his strong start to the season by solidly holding the left-back position in the Bengaluru FC set-up with his speedy runs and timely tackles. He had a 100 per cent win record in the duels against Punjab FC.

He was also the lone scorer of the match for Bengaluru FC and took his side to the top of the league table with a goal scored from a powerful volley on the far side of the goalkeeper.

Rahul Bheke (Bengaluru FC)

The India international has been one of the most consistent centre-backs in the team of the week this season because of his solid defensive display which led to five consecutive clean sheets for Bengaluru FC this season.

With a passing accuracy of 95 per cent, Rahul Bheke was one of the crucial players on the field for his side especially in the second half when his fellow centre-back Chinglensena got a red card.

Mehtab Singh (Mumbai City FC)

Mehtab Singh had a solid game against FC Goa this week. He did not allow the top strikers like Armando Sadiku and Borja Herrera to win many ground duels against him.

Mehtab had the most number of defensive actions in the match, including nine important clearances and three important blocks. He also had a big opportunity to score a goal, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

Sandeep Singh (Kerala Blasters FC)

The right-back Sandeep Singh showed some good wing play for Kerala Blasters in the away match against Mohammedan SC, having a few good and accurate crosses to the forwards.

He also helped the team curate the quick counterattacks as he made a few precise long balls from his own half to switch the flanks for the winger Noah Sadaoui or Adrian Luna.

Midfielders

Ramhlunchhunga (Hyderabad FC)

The youngster Ramhlunchhunga had an excellent game against Jamshedpur FC as he assisted Cy Goddard for the first goal of the season for his club in the current season.

He also tested Jamshedpur FC goalkeeper with his long langers and was very close to a goal but hit the bar. The 23-year-old was a live wire on the wings and helped his side in both attacking and defensive roles.

Lukas Brambilla (Chennaiyin FC)

The Brazilian Midfielder, Lukas showed brilliant gameplay against Northeast United FC and troubled their defence on numerous occasions. He had taken a lot of testing shots on the day.

Lucas also scored his maiden ISL goal via a spot-kick conversion in the 36th minute which helped his side to take the lead in the match and overcome the setback of conceding an early goal.

Vibin Mohanan (Kerala Blasters FC)

The young Indian midfielder has been a consistent member of the starting lineup of Kerala Blasters FC. He had a good outing against Mohammedan FC as he drove his side from defense to attack.

He also had five successful tackles in the match, which is the most number of tackles by any player.

Yoell Van Nieff (Mumbai City FC)

The Dutch player, Yoell Van Nieff was the key player for Mumbai City FC's first win of the tournament. He scored the thunderous out-of-the-box goal for his side against FC Goa to double their lead.

He also provided an assist to Karelis in the 21st with his accurate cross on the free-kick. Nieff also had an outstanding day in the defensive role, indulging three tackles and four interceptions.

Forwards

Wilmar Jordan Gil (Chennaiyin FC)

The explosive Colombian forward, Wilmar Gil had an outstanding outing this week as he scored a brace for his side and helped them win the crucial three away points against Northeast United FC.

Wilmar, who had his birthday on the day of the match, gave an excellent return gift to the fans of Chennaiyin FC. He brilliantly used his physical strength and won four out of six aerial duels against the defenders.

Jesus Jimenez (Kerala Blasters FC)

The tall Spanish forward, Jesus Jimenez, scored the winner for Kerala Blasters in an away game against Mohemmadan FC which took his side to the top 6 of the league table after 5 games.

Jesus was a big threat to the Kolkata side as he came close to scoring a goal on a couple of occasions, which included a shot on the woodwork.