The fourth season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) got off to a resplendent start with the first five match weeks seeing entertainment and intense action, both in equal measure. Records have been broken, new stars have emerged, and debutants have set the benchmark. Even the fans have seen their fair share of jubilation and heartbreaks.

All the ten clubs have had contrasting fortunes. FC Goa, Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC are all tied at 12 points apiece and occupy the first three spots on the league table, respectively. On the other hand, defending champions ATK, NorthEast United FC and Delhi Dynamos FC languish at the bottom. At the end of Match Week 5, a total of 27 matches have been played with a mammoth 74 goals being scored, with a turnover of 2.74 goals per game. The biggest improvement over the past seasons has been the goal conversion rate, which currently stands at 14.48. This proves that the teams have been more clinical in front of goal and have taken their chances well.

However, one distinction that has stood out this season is the change in fate between ATK and FC Goa, when compared to the previous three. In the five matches ATK have played this season, they have managed to score only four times, which is their poorest in comparison to their previous seasons. In Hero ISL 2014, ATK had scored 11 in their first five games followed by 10 in 2015 and 8 in 2016. The fact that the injury list of the defending champions has been piling up from the start of the season could be one of the biggest reasons for the same, as coach Teddy Sheringham barely managed to put together a team in their first two fixtures.

However, in the last two matches, Robbie Keane, Ashutosh Mehta, Jayesh Rane, Shankar Sampingraj and Anwar Ali have all made appearances for the Kolkata outfit, which has greatly reflected on their overall style of play and finesse. Injured Carl Baker’s replacement, Ryan Taylor, has also made good of his Hero ISL debut against Mumbai City FC on Sunday. Once Jordi Montel and Eugeneson Lyngdoh come back from their injury and Sheringham has a fully fit squad to choose from, ATK may start showing glimpses of their past dominance. Something their passionate fans are waiting for!

On the other hand, the flourish with which FC Goa has started their 2017-18 campaign is phenomenal. In the five matches they have played, they have found the back of the net 18 times, which is their best start in Hero ISL history, and also the best by any team over the course of four years. Their best start, prior to this, was in Hero ISL 2015 where they had scored 9 goals, but a season later, they have doubled that number impressively. In the 2014 and 2016 seasons, the Gaurs just had 5 and 4 goals to their name in the first five matches, respectively.

Such a mammoth turn of events can perhaps be attributed to the Spanish flair that has been the highlight of FC Goa this season. Ferran Corominas currently leads the ‘Golden Boot’ standings with 8 goals, while fellow Spaniard Manuel Lanzarote occupies the third position with 5. They also lead the ‘Total Assists’ list with 3 to their name each. If Sergio Lobera manages to hold on to his attacking mentality and the Spaniards continue to fire in every match, Goa is sure to outclass every other team in the league, even if their defence fails to hold its ground. Maybe, this is the season for passionate Goa fans to see their team lift the trophy after the heartbreak in 2015.

Match Week 6 will again see the 10 clubs locking horns in five high-octane encounters, with the highlight being the match between Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC on Thursday, as the league debutants show their might against each other on the national stage.