The second season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) witnessed some breath-taking individual and team performances over the course of two and a half months. From Stiven Mendoza’s 13 goals to “two hat-tricks” in a match, to “the biggest win” in the history of the league, there were quite a few new records set as Season 2 saw 57 more goals scored (186) than last year. Here indiansuperleague.com looks at some of the “firsts” of Hero ISL 2015.First goal-scorerAtlético de Kolkata’s marquee signing this season, Helder Postiga scored the first goal this season, in the league opener at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Apoula Edel made the cardinal error of fumbling the ball when trying to collect a Borja Fernandes free-kick only for Postiga to fire into an open net. However, the former Portugal international injured himself in a 3-2 win and didn’t play another game in Season 2.First Indian goal-scorer In the same match, Jeje Lalpekhlua became the first Indian to hit the back of the net in Season 2. The 24-year-old latched on a loose clearance from Atlético de Kolkata goalkeeper Amrinder Singh and tapped it in, bringing the home side level. Jeje continued playing a crucial role for the Super Machans in the following weeks and finished as the second highest Indian goal-scorer with six goals.First hat-trickIn what was the season’s second home upset, Stiven Mendoza led the attacking brigade for Chennaiyin FC against FC Goa at Fatorda and scored his first-ever Hero ISL hat-trick in the Super Machans’ 4-0 win - also the first of Season 2. The Colombian sniper went on to score a total of 13 goals and bagged the Golden Boot award. He was also named the Hero of the League. The 23-year-old also became the first player to score two hat-tricks in a season. He was later joined by ATK’s Iain Hume. First Indian hat-trickPlaying his first Hero ISL, Mumbai City FC striker Sunil Chhetri made his mark as he became the first Indian player to score a hat-trick in the history of the league. Thanks to his treble that fuelled a 5-1 win against NorthEast United FC, Nicolas Anelka’s men registered their third consecutive win of the season. Chhetri scored seven goals in all, highest by an Indian in Hero ISL 2015.Two hat-tricks in a match November 17, 2015 was a good day to be an FC Goa supporter as the home team trounced Mumbai City FC 7-0 at Fatorda’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Triple strikes from Dudu and Thongkhosiem Haokip helped the Gaurs register the biggest win in the history of the league. It was also the first occasion when two players scored a hat-trick in the same match.First team to win five matches in a rowHero ISL 2015 winners Chennaiyin FC, at one stage of the league, saw themselves at the wrong end of the table following three successive defeats. However, it was their unbeaten run from November 21 to December 12 which helped them turn the tide as they became the first team ever to win five matches in a row, dispatching Kerala Blasters FC, Delhi Dynamos FC, Mumbai City FC, FC Pune City and Atlético de Kolkata along the way. The previous record was held by FC Goa who won four matches in a row last year.First player(s) to provide three assists in a matchHero ISL 2015 wasn’t just about the frontmen; the playmakers provided entertainment too. FC Pune City’s Nicky Shorey, in a 3-2 thriller at home against Kerala Blasters FC, and Leo Moura, in FC Goa’s 7-0 thrashing of Mumbai City FC, became the first players in the history of Hero ISL to provide three assists in a match.First player(s) to provide eight assistsDelhi Dynamos FC’s Florent Malouda and FC Goa’s Leo Moura provided eight assists each to set a new Hero ISL record for the entire season. While Malouda was instrumental in taking the Lions to their first-ever semi-final, Moura’s impact on FC Goa’s campaign could be gauged from the fact that when he got injured in the final against Chennaiyin FC, the Gaurs’ game went down quite a few notches as they lost the game 3-2.
