ISL 2022-23: Four teams most likely to reach knockouts

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Mumbai City on Saturday (February 11) confirmed their ISL league winners crown with two matches to spare and also assured themselves of a place in the semi-finals directly. Hyderabad has also qualified for the playoffs are likely to join the Islanders in the semifinals directly with a second-place finish.

For the remaining four playoff berths, there's a dogged race that's going on between five teams. Kerala Blasters, ATK Mohun Bagan, Goa, Odisha and Bengaluru all remain in the hunt for the remaining 4 places in the knockouts. Only four points separate the Blasters who are in third place to the Juggernauts who are seventh.

Here are the four best-placed teams, in no particular order, who are most likely to reach the ISL knockouts:

#1 Kerala Blasters

Matches: 18

Points: 31

Goal Difference: +2

Last season's runners-up, Ivan Vukomanovic's side are just five points behind the Nizams who are second, but they have a game in hand. It means, mathematically the Blasters can overtake the defending champions should they lose all of their remaining matches and if the Tuskers win their remaining two games.

Interestingly, they will lock horns with Manolo Marquez's side in their final league outing in a match that may decide which team will finish second.

Even though the three-time ISL finalists lost narrowly to Simon Grayson's side 0-1, they look best placed to finish third.

#2 ATK Mohun Bagan

Matches: 17

Points: 28

Goal Difference: +5

Even though the recent draw with Jamshedpur was a missed opportunity for the Mariners to seal their playoff berth, Juan Ferrando's side has only played 17 games, collecting 28 points with three games remaining.

They are scheduled to take on the Nizams, the Blasters and East Bengal next. Winning all three of their remaining games may help the Kolkata-based club to pip the Tuskers into third place, should they drop some points in their remaining two games.

The outcome of their next two games, against the two sides that are above the Mariners in the league table, will decide their fate.

#3 Bengaluru

Matches: 18

Points: 28

Goal Difference: +1

The Blues are level on points with the Mariners, both clubs have 28 points each although Ferrando's side has a game in hand. Grayson's side will still fancy their chances as they have won all of their previous six matches, and they haven't dropped a point since the turn of the year.

In their remaining two matches, Sunil Chhetri and Co will take on the Islanders, and the Gaurs. With such fine margins, it may boil down to the goal difference, and the Blues have the worst GD (1), among all teams that are in the race for the remaining playoff berths. Thus, it goes without saying that Grayson's men will have to win their last two matches or things could get tricky.

#4 Goa

Matches: 18

Points: 27

Goal Difference: +4

Carlos Pena's side is in sixth place in the standings and occupies the final qualification berth for the knockouts. They are currently level on 27 points with the Kalinga Warriors, and both teams have 2 matches remaining, however, the Gaurs have a positive goal difference (+4) compared to Josep Gombau's men (-2) which may well decide the fate of these two sides.

In their next two outings, Edu Bedia and Co will lock horns with Chennaiyin and Grayson's side. While, on the other hand, the Juggernauts will take on NorthEast United and the Men of Steel.

Gombau's side has potentially easier fixtures but their negative goal difference could cost them if both clubs finish level on points.

Article by Mohak Arora, Sports Expert, Parimatch brand