TOPS & FLOPS in ISL semis 1st Leg: No. 7 went full Almunia

THE OCCASION couldn't be bigger. More than two months of journey, navigating hectic schedules interspersed with travels, playing against tough opponents and fighting for every point... it all came down to this. They prevailed, and earned their place in the semi-finals. 

And now, the payers of FC Goa, Atletico de Kolkata, Chennaiyin FC and Delhi Dynamos are engaged in a massive battle to determine which two of them will take to the field next Sunday on the green turf of Fatorda.

On Friday and Saturday the first legs of the semi-finals were played. Some rose to the occasion and shone brightly, helping their teams get one step closer to their season's ultimate objective. Others, sadly, faltered, and now their fans' hopes are one step away from being crushed.

We look at some of these players, who stood apart in ways good and bad in the first legs of the penultimate battles for the ISL trophy.