Sahal Abdul Samad was already a fan favourite among Mohun Bagan Super Giant fans, but his latest match-winning performance against Chennaiyin FC has undoubtedly solidified his status as their new hero.

In Matchweek 3 against the Marina Machans, Samad once again dazzled with his football prowess. Following his key assist for Jason Cummings' game-winning goal against Maziya S&RC in the AFC Cup, the playmaker delivered two more crucial assists in the match against Chennaiyin FC over the weekend. One of these assists, in particular, showcased Samad's exceptional skills as he dribbled past three defenders before deftly playing the ball forward between two defenders to Manvir Singh, who clinically slotted it past Samik Mitra.

After three Matchweeks of the Indian Super League (ISL), he now has three assists to his name, propelling the team to the top of the table with a perfect record. Samad is the only player to have notched multiple assists this season.

While he is yet to score for the Mariners in the ISL, he has diligently carried out all the hard work and displayed the creativity that is expected from a player of his calibre. Samad is currently the joint-topper for big chances created in the season so far, with three.

Player Team Big Chances Created
Greg Stewart Mumbai City FC 3
Sahal Abdul Samad Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3
Yoell van Nieff Mumbai City FC 2
Nestor Albiach NorthEast United FC 2


While there was much speculation about how he would perform within Juan Ferrando's system, Samad has exceeded even the most optimistic predictions since joining the Kolkata-based club. His performance so far has been characterized by energy, sharpness, and a touch of class - all qualities that an attacking player should possess. The 26-year-old also leads in completed dribbles with a success rate of 65%. 

Player Team Dribbles Attempted Dribbles Completed Success Rate (%)
Sahal Abdul Samad Mohun Bagan Super Giant 20 13 65
Juan Mera Punjab FC 14 9 64.29
Nestor Albiach NorthEast United FC 12 8 66.67
Nandhakumar Sekar East Bengal FC 14 7 50


While Samad is currently playing a more attacking role, it will be interesting to see how he utilizes his defensive abilities in the upcoming matches. So far, only Saul Crespo has won more duels than him. Additionally, he is ranked second for the most duels attempted (42), just behind Nestor Albiach (44).

Player Team Duels Won
Saul Crespo East Bengal FC 28
Sahal Abdul Samad Mohun Bagan Super Giant 25
Nestor Albiach  NorthEast United FC 25
Mohammed Bemammer NorthEast United FC 22


Currently, Samad is much more than just a playmaker for this side, underscoring Ferrando's trust in him. Only goalkeeper Vishal Kaith has played more league minutes (270) than Samad, while he and Liston Colaco have each accumulated 252 league minutes for Mohun Bagan Super Giant so far.

Player Minutes Played
Vishal Kaith 270
Sahal Abdul Samad 252
Liston Colaco 252
Dimitri Petratos 249
Subhasish Bose 240


Samad still has much to prove to the country, and if he manages the pressure of playing alongside some of the best players in the league, we can anticipate even greater success from him in the near future.

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Mohun Bagan Super Giant2023-2024 Sahal Abdul Samad