Matchweek 4 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 provided a lot of interesting and exciting tactical battles for the fans. These managerial showdowns resulted in two matches ending in stalemates.

Matchweek 4 started with a game between East Bengal FC and FC Goa on Saturday in which FC Goa came out on top with an incredible 2-1 comeback victory.

Kerala Blasters FC faced Northeast United FC in the next game on the same day as the two teams shared the spoils after a 1-1 draw.

Jamshedpur FC faced Punjab FC in the third match of matchweek 4 on Sunday. The match had many key tactical battles as it ended goalless.

Hyderabad FC faced Chennaiyin FC in the last match of matchweek 4 on Mondaywhere both teams were looking for their first win in the ISL 2023-24 season. The match ended in a 1-0 victory for Chennaiyin FC.

Here are the Key takeaways from matchweek 4:

Sandesh Jhingan's first-ever ISL goal

FC Goa beat East Bengal FC 2-1 in a thrilling game in the first match of matchweek 4. Experienced Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan scored his first-ever goal for FC Goa in this game. It was also the first time that Jhingan scored in the ISL.

The sturdy defender looked rock solid in the game against East Bengal FC. It was after East Bengal FC scored the first goal that Jhingan solidified the backline's positioning by communicating with his defenders more positively. He constantly thwarted all attacking chances that East Bengal FC created since the first goal with a lot of help from his defenders. He made sure to constantly cover the gaps in the FC Goa defence with his clever positioning and defensive awareness.

Nestor Albiach's all-round performance against Kerala Blasters FC

Nestor Albiach was the star of the show against Kerala Blasters FC with a solid offensive performance. He put NorthEast United FC ahead very early in the game with a well-taken goal in the 12th minute of the game.

He constantly got into good positions throughout the game during the offensive phase and threatened the Kerala Blasters FC defence. He even contributed well in the defensive phase of the game to try and get points on the board for NorthEast United FC. Kerala Blasters FC eventually scored through a goal by Danish Farooq and the match ended in a draw, however, it was Albiach's performance that was the highlight of the game for NorthEast United FC.

Is Rei Tachikawa, Jamshedpur FC's new talisman?

Rei Tachikawa put in a fine performance against a rock-solid Punjab FC team in the third match of matchweek 4. He constantly looked a big threat on the pitch with his surging forward runs from the middle of the pitch and also from the wings. He constantly looked to find spaces to break the tight defensive block of Punjab FC and often broke the lines with his incisive passing and wide field of vision.

He won possession of the ball 14 times on the pitch and created a total of six dangerous attacking chances. The Japanese midfielder also contributed to the defensive performance of his team. He covered a total distance of 11.8 kilometres in the game. Although the match ended goalless, it was Tachikawa's performance that caught the attention of several spectators of the game.

Connor Shields opens his goalscoring account in India

Connor Shields opened his goalscoring account in India with a well-worked goal against Hyderabad FC. The Scottish forward was a constant menace throughout the game constantly linked up with his offensive teammates throughout the game. Chennaiyin FC looked to play on the counter-attack throughout the game and whenever the chance to attack came, Shields was often the main man initiating those attacks. 

He was the focal point in the Chennaiyin FC striking force during the offensive phase and often found himself at the end of attacking moves. He also constantly exploited gaps in the Hyderabad FC defence with his well-timed runs inside the box. His goal meant that Chennaiyin FC opened their account in the ISL 2023-24 with three points.