ISL Musings: SC Delhi's amazing comeback, Chennaiyin's drought, NorthEast goal for the ages

The fourth gameweek of the Indian Super League saw one of the league's best comeback wins, a host of late goals, a heroic goalkeeping effort, and more, as Mohun Bagan went up to their familiar spot atop the standings.

We muse on GW4 of the ISL:

From 0-2 down to 3-2 win

At 2-0 with 20 minutes to play, Mumbai City FC were cruising. SC Delhi's Carlos Fortes scored after Mumbai failed to defend a set-piece properly. Still, Mumbai City got through the next 19 minutes reasonably unscathed. They conceded only two shots in that period, both from range, both not troubling TP Rehenesh. The next shot that came in shouldn't have troubled Rehenesh either. It should've been a routine catch.

But Akshat Mehra's first shot of his ISL career was somehow fumbled into the net, as Mumbai continued to shoot themselves in the foot this season. Turns out, there was more to come.

Akash Mishra gave the ball away to Juan Pena at the halfway line. And somehow the Mumbai defence allowed Pena to run all the way to the box unchallenged, and then he managed to slot a calm finish into the bottom corner.

In the space of 20 minutes, 0-2 had become 3-2. Delhi had their first win of the season. Manolo Marquez and Mumbai had to go away to lick more wounds.

A counter-attacking goal for the ages

Thirteen seconds is all it took for NorthEast United FC. From the edge of their own box to a goal. A goal that Sunil Chhetri couldn't stop gushing about in the post-match interview. Justifiably so, even if it came against Chhetri's team.

It started with Soham Varshneya's shot from a Bengaluru FC corner being blocked. Then Jithin MS slid a pass across to Alaaeddine Ajaraie. Ajaraie ran from the edge of his own box and found Ethyan Gonzalez on the left. On the right, Abdul Rabeeh and Jithin were racing past all comers in Bengaluru white.

Gonzalez's pass found Jithin, and he checked in with one touch, before finding the bottom corner with his left foot. That touch to check in had left Shivaldo Singh on the floor. Lalremtluanga Fanai, Borja Martínez, and Varshneya tried blocking the shot. When the ball was in the net, the four Bengaluru players, in a line, were prone on the floor. Perhaps the best indication of how good the goal was.

Gurmeet gift helps Bengaluru to stay unbeaten

They might have scored a sensational goal, but NorthEast just couldn't close out the game. And they couldn't close it out because of the unlikeliest sources. Prior to second-half stoppage time, Gurmeet Singh was faultless when called into action. He made saves when he had to, and most importantly, caught every corner and every cross that came his way.

Then, inexplicably, twice in the space of ten seconds, he failed to command his box and fumbled regulation catches. The second of those proved costly. The fumble meant the ball landed at Sunil Chhetri's feet, and there's no one else in Indian Football that Bengaluru would've wanted that big moment to fall to.

Chhetri composed himself, laid it off for an onrushing Vinith Venkatesh, and then saw the youngster slot a calm finish into the bottom corner. Jail well and truly broken. Bengaluru stayed unbeaten, NorthEast went away lamenting a second-straight win that had turned into a draw in stoppage time.

Chennaiyin's goalscoring struggles

Chennaiyin have played 307 minutes of football since Irfan Yadwad's goal in their season opener against FC Goa. In those 307 minutes, they've taken 68 shots, but only 19 of those have been on target. And therein lies the problem.

Once again this week, against the Kerala Blasters, Chennaiyin played some really nice passing football, and created plenty of chances. They had 18 shots in the game, double the Blasters' count. But when the big moments came, they came up a cropper. Amrinder Singh made some big saves for the Blasters, but the truth is, he shouldn't have been given the chance to make those saves.

Chief among those chances was Irfan's late shot. On the break, Irfan was sent through one-on-one by Bryce Miranda, and he went for a chip. Instead of going down, Amrinder stayed upright and stretched his hand out for a straightforward parry.

One feels for Clifford Miranda, his side has played better football compared to what the table is showing -- two points in four games. But goals are the currency in football, and if you can't score them, this is what will happen.

Goa take the W, at last

Gouramangi Singh finally has the first ISL win as FC Goa coach, on his third attempt. He didn't even manage to celebrate it properly though, as he was sent off in stoppage time for channeling his past and clearing a ball away to delay an Inter Kashi restart.

The win, though, was thoroughly deserved. Isak Ralte was a menace down the left, Franchu and Chiki showed their class down the middle, and Muhammed Nemil buzzed around as he always does.

Franchu gave them the lead, but they saw the lead taken away from them by a neat Sumeet Passi finish.

However, the Goa winner was a beautiful constructed one. First, an inch-perfect from Franchu to Nemil, and with the goalkeeper and a defender drawn to him, his cut-back to Chiki was perfectly timed, and then the finish was simple.

Heading into a game against Bengaluru with no wins on the board would've been alarming for Goa and Gouramangi. Now, they go into that big home game with a semblance of momentum.