After 61 matches of intense competition, Atlético de Kolkata were crowned champions of Hero Indian Super League 2016 following a 4-3 win on penalties against Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday. It was the second time in three years that Kolkata became champions, however, all eight clubs more than played their part in making Hero ISL 2016 exhilarating and breath-taking with the help of some stunning individual displays. Here we recall some of the best individual performances this year.Marcelinho vs FC GoaGolden-boot winner Marcelinho has more than his fair share of sensational moments to choose from. His hat-trick against Goa in Delhi is one such performance that immediately pops to mind as he almost single-handedly annihilated the Gaurs’ backline. That said, one of the Brazilian’s best displays came earlier in the season with Goa finding themselves in the firing line again. The 29-year-old started the match on the bench. However, when Dynamos head coach Gianluca Zambrotta introduced him with the score at 0-0, things went up a gear if not two. Marcelinho handed the Lions the lead courtesy of a solo run and finish minutes after coming off the bench. He then set up Richard Gadze for Delhi’s second of night for a 2-0 win, breathing life into the Lions’ campaign after they were winless in their previous five games.Romeo Fernandes vs NorthEast United FCFC Goa were in a rut and desperate to keep their dwindling semis hopes alive when NorthEast United FC arrived in Fatorda. Things got off to the worst possible start for Goa as the Highlanders got ahead through a Seityasen Singh strike in the 50th minute. Romeo Fernandes, one of the finds from the inaugural edition of the league, wasn’t ready to have any of that though. The 24-year-old decided to take matters into his own hands as he skipped past defenders on Goa’s right flank before squaring to Robin Singh, who scored the equaliser. Things were made more difficult for the Gaurs moments later when Sahil Tavora was shown a red card. But that didn’t deter Romeo from taking his team to the finish line as he rounded Subrata Paul in the Highlanders’ goal before scoring the winner to send the home support into a frenzy.Florent Malouda vs Chennaiyin FCDelhi’s marquee player Florent Malouda was having a quiet league by his lofty standards heading into their second clash of the season against Chennaiyin FC. Little did anyone know that it was the calm before the storm as Malouda burst into life in spectacular fashion. The Frenchman, who is the highest assists provider in the history of the league, set up Gadze for Delhi’s opener before getting his name on the scoresheet with his first Hero ISL goal. He wasn’t done yet though as the Super Machans will tell you. Malouda then set up Kean Lewis nine minutes into the second half and scored his second of the night five minutes from full-time to put the icing on the cake.CK Vineeth vs Chennaiyin FCCK Vineeth proved to be the catalyst behind Kerala’s run to the final. He scored five times and provided one assist for the Blasters en-route to the final in Kochi. However, one of his most spell-binding displays of the season came at home in the second south Indian derby of the season against Chennaiyin. Bernard Mendy gave the 2015 winners the lead in the first half but Didier Boris Kadio managed to find an equaliser for the men in yellow in the 67th minute. With the game heading for a 1-1 draw, Vineeth decided to take matters into his own hands and scored twice in the last 10 minutes of the game to give his side the win as well as bragging rights.Sahil Tavora vs Chennaiyin FCBoth the finalists of Hero ISL 2015 were already out of semis contention when they locked horns for their last match of the season. It turned out to be the highest-scoring game in league history ending 5-4 in favour of Goa. Youngster Sahil Tavora played a significant role for the Gaurs as he came off the bench at the start of the second period. The 21-year-old midfielder erased memories of his red card against NorthEast earlier in the season with a brace that included a cracking stoppage-time winner. His first goal came in the 69th minute and his second deep into injury time as Zico’s men ended their lacklustre campaign on a positive note.
