Football is all about scoring goals but when you can’t find a way through the middle then the best bet would be to resort to the flanks. Crossing may not be the most integral part of a team’s match day strategy, but a good cross can often change the game. The Hero Indian Super League (ISL) is no exception. A number of goals scored have been aided by some superb crossing.Indians may be overshadowed in the ISL by their more illustrious foreign counterparts when it comes to goals, free kicks, shots on target etc, but as far as crossing goes, they are in a league of their own with three Indians in the top five and six in the top 11 with Steven Dias of Delhi Dynamos FC topping the charts. On the other hand, Kerala Blasters, it seems, have the best international crossers in the league thus far. Here the list of the top five crossers in the ISL:1. STEVEN DIAS (Delhi Dynamos FC): The experienced former Indian international midfielder-winger has turned out for Delhi in only five games, but in his 391 minutes on the pitch he has put in 31 crosses. Known as the ‘David Beckham of India’, many predicted that Dias’ crossing abilities were long gone but he has proved his critics wrong. His meticulous first-time crosses have threatened the opposition on numerous occasions and he also has one assist to his name when he fed Mads Junker with a pinpoint cross against Chennaiyin FC.2. STEPHEN PEARSON (Kerala Blasters FC): An integral part of the Blasters’ midfield, Stephen Pearson has provided 25 crosses but he has played in all eight games for his side. A former PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year awardee, the former Scottish international midfielder has also been one of the better passers of the ball and in his 641 minutes on the pitch, he strung together 283 passes.3. ISRAIL GURUNG (FC Pune City): A product of the Sports Authority of India training programme, the diminutive midfielder-winger from Kalimpong has fed his teammates with the cross-field ball 23 times in his six appearances. Gurung even assisted Greek international midfielder Kostas Katsouranis with a superb cross in Pune’s 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC. 4. AIBORLANG KHONGJEE (NorthEast United FC): The talented Aiborlang Khongjee is the only defender to feature on this list and has impressed with 23 crosses to his name. He has played in all of the Highlanders’ seven games thus far, forming a solid partnership with marquee player Joan Capdevila and captain Miguel Garcia at the back. NorthEast United have conceded the least number of goals along with Kerala Blasters. But Khongjee has shown his capability in attacking from a full back position with his surges and crosses. 5. IAIN HUME (Kerala Blasters FC): He was the first ISL footballer to be chosen Player of the Week by the fans and Iain Hume certainly has delivered the goods to warrant that recognition. He is the second player from Kerala Blasters to make it to this list with 22 crosses. The only forward in the top five, the Canadian former international has scored two and turned provider for another of Kerala’s five goals scored so far.We’re just past the half-way mark of the tournament and FC Goa’s Narayan Das (21 crosses) and Kerala Blasters’ Nirmal Chettri and Delhi Dynamos’ Souvik Ghosh (both on 19) could also force their way into the top five in the days to come. Watch this space for further developments.
