The first season of the Indian Super League was a spectacle to watch as fans thronged the stadiums in huge numbers and celebrities played their part in taking the three-month football tournament to a new level.
It was the quality of the game that made most of the sound, as some of the best foreign players came forward to make their mark on the Indian football scene. The tournament also saw the emergence of many local heroes who got a chance to shine on the grandest stage of Indian football.
There wasn't a single match where the excitement and anticipation, coupled with the quality of football, was lacking. Some of the games took the ISL a notch higher and gave enough reasons for football fans to return to their computers to watch the highlights of the game.
Here are some of the best matches from the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League:
1. Kerala Blasters 0-1 Atletico de Kolkata (20 December, 2014) -- DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai
The final game of the tournament was the most-watched, as it produced the first-ever champion of the Indian Super League. The match went into extra time, following a stalemate throughout the 90 minutes of the game, but a late twist changed it all.
Indian striker Mohammad Rafique was the hero for Atletico de Kolkata as he headed in a cross at the death, to get the most crucial goal for the ISL side in its history.
Catch the highlights of the game HERE.
2. Chennaiyin FC 3-1 Kerala Blasters FC (16 December, 2014) -- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
The second leg semi-final match played between the two Southern Indian sides was another of the classics last season. Kerala Blasters overpowered Chennaiyin FC by 3-0 in the first leg of the semi-final at Kochi, and it was the Chennai side's turn to make a turnaround at home.
The match went into extra time after Jeje scored in the 90th minute for the home side and took fans to a frenzy. However, it was only in the 117th minute that Scotland midfielder Stephen Pearson scored for the away side, and took them to the finals.
Catch the highlights of the game HERE.
3. Kerala Blasters FC 3-0 Chennaiyin FC (13 December, 2014) -- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
It was all Kerala Blasters in the first leg semi-final match between the two sides, as the hosts dominated the league leaders and prevented them from taking any opportunity. Ian Hume and Ishfaq Ahmed gave the hosts a 2-0 cushion in the first half itself, but a late magic in the second half changed it all.
Local boy Sushanth Mathew scored a stunner in the 90th minute of the game that left spectators, fans, and even his teammates surprised. Mathew took a powerful shot with his left foot from way outside the Chennaiyin FC box, and the ball bulleted into the top corner.
Catch the highlights of the game HERE.
4. Atletico de Kolkata 0-0 Chennaiyin FC (14 November, 2014) -- Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
Although the match turned out to be a goalless draw with both teams sharing the spoils, the game was known for its frenetic pace from the start to the end.
The game saw Luis García rattling the crossbar with a left-footed free kick in with goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano well and truly beaten, and Balwant Singh being disallowed a goal in the 81st minute for a handball.
And from Fikru to Ofentso Nato (Atletico de Kolkata) and Elano (Chennaiyin FC), chances were flying everywhere in the game.
Catch the highlights of the game HERE.
5. Mumbai City FC 5-0 FC Pune City (18 October, 2014) -- DY Patil Stadium
The first Maharashtra derby of the tournament was totally dominated by the home side, as former Crystal Palace forward Andre Moritz scored a memorable hat-trick and decimated the opposition defence to earn a name for himself among football fans there.
This was the highest-margin win by the Mumbai side in the competition, but the Ranbir Kapoor co-owned side lost momentum in the later stages of the competition and finished second-bottom in the table.
Catch the highlights of the game HERE.
