The ISL can be a hectic affair with matches happening almost daily (sometimes twice a day) so to help you keep track of all the goings on, we will be putting out this rolling report after every match herein on. In this report, we look at all the games that will happen in the days leading up to a rest day.
ISL Standings | ISL Results and Fixtures
The report on all matches from matchweek 2 is here.
Here are the details for matchweek 3 of ISL 2024-25 with the latest match report coming first.
NorthEast United 1-1 Kerala Blasters
(Alaeddine Ajaraie 58' - Noah Sadaoui 67')
NorthEast United and Kerala Blasters shared the spoils in a tightly-fought contest that saw both teams climb to the playoff spots thanks to a 1-1 draw, despite the hosts going down to ten men for the last 15 minutes of the game. NorthEast United had the better of the chances in the first half, with Guillermo Fernandez and Alaeddine Ajaraie spurning great chances to score.
However, the hosts were gifted the lead in the 58th minute, when Ajaraie's free kick squirmed through Sachin Suresh's hands in the Blasters' net and trickled past the line. The Blasters were soon level in the 67th minute as Noah Sadaoui curled in a wonderful low strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Guillermo's goal a few minutes later from a set-piece was ruled out for offside, with a late red card for Asheer Akhtar causing NEUFC some consternation but they held on for the point.
Bengaluru FC 3-0 Mohun Bagan SG
(Edgar Mendez 9', Suresh Singh 20', Sunil Chhetri (P) 51')
A Sunil Chhetri record, oles from the crowd before halftime and a 3-0 scoreline saw Bengaluru FC climb to the top of the table on a rainy Saturday night in Bengaluru. It was a display more commanding than any we've seen from BFC in the recent past, the defending league shield holders Mohun Bagan swatted aside with rare flamboyance.
Edgar Mendez smashed in a tap-in during a corner to open the scoring before a clever Chhetri assist saw Suresh Singh smash in a counter-attack to double it in the first half. Chhetri hit a penalty early in the second to make it three and become the outright top scorer in ISL history (64). Bagan rang the changes, switching up personnel and formations, but to little effect as the home side held them at bay with ease.
Odisha FC 2-1 Jamshedpur FC
(Diego Mauricio 20', Mourtada Fall 42' - Mourtada Fall (OG) 62')
Odisha began the game in dominant fashion and converted into the opening goal in the 20th minute. Isak Ralte produced a wonderful run through the centre of the part, laying it off to Hugo Boumous who quickly diverted the ball to Diego Mauricio in space on the left side of the box. The forward responded with a low, left-footed finish into the bottom corner to give Odisha a 1-0 lead. Amey Ranawade, Mauricio and Jerry Mawihmingthanga spurned further opportunities to double the lead before Mourtada Fall eventually did so from a corner in the 42nd minute, as Boumous grabbed his second assist of the game.
Fall scored from a corner in the second half again, although this time he headed the ball into his own net to bring Jamshedpur back into the game in the 62nd minute. However, Odisha managed to hold off the resurgent visitors for the rest of the game (including a late headed chance from Mohammed Sanan), thus earning their first win of the season.
East Bengal 2-3 FC Goa
(Madih Talal 29', David Lalhlanhsanga 85'; Borja Herrera 13', 20', 71')
East Bengal slipped to a third straight loss in the ISL this season, and a fifth successive loss in competitive fixtures, as Borja Herrera scored the first hat-triof the season to lift FC Goa to their first win of the season.
The first couple of goals that Borja scored were down to awful defending from East Bengal, the first put on a plate by goalkeeper Debjit Majumder and the second by defender Hijazi Maher. Eventually, Carl McHugh's red card in the 81st minute reignited the contest and David Lalhlansanga's goal set up a grand stand finish, but East Bengal couldn't quite eke out a point, as the pressure continues to pile on manager Carles Cuadrat.
Chennaiyin FC 0-1 Mohammedan SC
Lalremsanga Fanai 39'
Mohammedan SC secured their first win in the ISL with a 1-0 win over Chennaiyin FC in Chennai, to climb up to 5th in the early ISL standings. The only goal of the game came when Lalremsanga Fanai pounced on a misunderstanding between the Chennaiyin defence and goalkeeper Samik Mitra to tap into an empty net.
Mohammedan were threatening this even in their opening two games against NorthEast United and FC Goa, but were denied at the death in both games. However, just like Punjab FC, the promoted team last season, Mohammedan too secured an ISL victory against Chennaiyin FC.
Punjab FC 2-0 Hyderabad FC
Vidal 35', Mrzljak 71'
Punjab FC climbed to the top of the Indian Super League table with a win over Hyderabad FC, to begin matchweek 3 with their 100% record intact after three games. Punjab became only the fourth instance of an ISL club starting the season with three victories on the trot, with Mohun Bagan (twice) and FC Goa the other clubs to do so.
Hyderabad FC coach Thangboi Singto named a lineup with 10 Indians to start with, and the all-Indian backline struggled in the initial stages, conceding plenty of chances. Pulga Vidal took advantage in the 35th minute, scoring the opening goal with a curling free-kick from range, although Arshdeep Singh in the HFC goal ought to be disappointed having allowed the strike to squirm through his hands and into the net.
Punjab continued to dominate the contest, in the second half, and confirmed the win with an excellent counter-attack in the 71st minute. Filip Mrzljak led the counter and played it to Mushaga Bakenga running through on goal, but his shot was saved by Arshdeep, only to fall square to Mrzljak on the right side of the box. An unerring shot into an open goal followed and Punjab made it 2-0. The game ended as a contest when Leander D'Cunha was sent off for a second yellow card in the 78th minute, and despite Mrzljak sending a late shot over when through on goal, Punjab held on against 10 men for another win.