KOLKATA: Mumbai City FC beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium to emerge as the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 Cup Winners at the final in Kolkata tonight. The Islanders came from behind after Jason Cummings handed the Mariners a lead late in the first half. Second-half strikes by Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh, and Jakub Vojtus ensured that the Petr Kratky-coached side settled the scores against the home side in front of a capacity crowd to draw curtains on the landmark 10th season of the ISL.

In proceedings slightly identical to the final of ISL 2020-21, when both these teams had squared off in the summit clash, a similar hero came up, as Bipin Singh notched an 81st-minute strike to help his men avenge the loss that they succumbed to, in the title decider at this very venue. In the first-ever ISL grand finale held in Kolkata, Mumbai City FC returned the happier of the two teams winning their second ISL final, with both of them coming against the Mariners.

Both sides trod a cautious line in the opening half, focusing on holding their shape, playing to their strengths, and not giving away too much to work on for the opposition. However, Mohun Bagan Super Giant drew the first blood thanks to their fierce offensive duo of Dimitrios Petratos and Cummings.

Petratos hasn’t been afraid to test his luck from a distance often in this campaign. As the opening essay of the game was concluding, he unleashed a shot that caught Mumbai City FC goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa off-guard. The custodian fumbled the effort; with Cummings present right there like a fox in the box to bury the chance in the 44th minute and ensure that his team entered the break with a lead in hand.

The Islanders naturally decided to shake things up in the second half. They adopted newer courses of play, involving a long ball from Alberto Noguera to their Argentine striker Jorge Pereyra Diaz eight minutes into the second half. Diaz’s sharp offensive instincts were right there on display, calmly bringing the ball down, steering it near Vishal Kaith, and slotting the ball into the back of the net to equalize the scores.

For a brief passage of play, it appeared that the game might head into the extra time, but an unfortunate knock picked by Diaz in the 72nd minute opened the floodgates for the comeback by the visitors.

As the striker was taken off the field, Slovak striker Vojtus replaced him and was central to both the goals that Mumbai City FC scored after that. Bipin’s one came through a scrambled effort where Vikram Partap Singh squared up a pass for Lallianzuala Chhangte at the edge of the box. Chhangte’s attempt at goal took a nick off Vojtus’ foot, but amidst a crowded situation, Bipin hammered in the ball to get his side the lead in the game.

The Mariners desperately sought to level scores in the added time of the second half, but they ended up exposing large chunks of space in the backline. Vojtus capitalized on one of those loose balls, getting control over the ball on the right side of the box and demonstrating impeccable efficiency to net his team’s third goal of the night.

Key Performer of the Match

• Jorge Pereyra Diaz (Mumbai City FC)
• Diaz completed 15 out of his 19 attempted passes and was buzzing in and around the Mariners’ backline to search for a breakthrough. His goal oozed all class and was instrumental in laying the foundation of Mumbai City FC’s triumph in this game.

ISL 2023-24 Season Awards

• Golden Glove – Phurba Lachenpa (Mumbai City FC)
• Golden Boot – Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters FC)
• Emerging Player of the League – Vikram Partap Singh (Mumbai City FC)
• Player of the League – Dimitrios Petratos (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

Brief Scores

• Mumbai City FC 3 (Jorge Pereyra Diaz 53’, Bipin Singh 81’, Jakub Vojtus 90+7’) – 1 Mohun Bagan Super Giant (Jason Cummings 44’)

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Mohun Bagan Super Giant faced two defeats in the AFC Cup against Basundhara Kings and Odisha FC, respectively. However, they have won all four of their ISL games so far, scoring over 2 goals per game on average, which is the highest rate amongst all teams. They have also conceded merely four times in all these matches thus far.

Hyderabad FC, on the other hand, has drawn thrice and lost four games in seven encounters. The team’s inability to put balls into the back of the opposition’s net has been their biggest problem this season. They need to work steadfastly to find solutions, especially considering that the likes of Joe Knowles, Mohammad Yasir, Petteri Pennanen amongst others have all shown shades of individual brilliance at some point of the season.

The match between Hyderabad FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant will be a window of opportunity for Hyderabad FC to get their season back on track against a strongly built Mohun Bagan Super Giant setup embroiled in the middle of overcoming successive setbacks. Mohun Bagan Super Giant, on the other hand, will be keen to get their season back on track to march on the race for the top spot in the league.

In conclusion, the match between Hyderabad FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to secure a win. Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam.

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HYDERABAD: After a long wait, Hyderabad FC is set to take on East Bengal FC in Kolkata on Saturday, September 30, to kick off their 2023-24 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign. The Nawabs are unbeaten against the Red and Gold Brigade in all competitions and will look to start their season on a positive note.

East Bengal played out a goalless draw against Jamshedpur in the opening round, while Hyderabad’s clash against FC Goa was postponed. Carles Cuadrat’s side has an exciting squad with former HFC stars Javi Siverio and Borja Herrera hitting the ground running in Kolkata. The likes of Cleiton Silva, Saul Crespo, Mahesh Naorem, and Nandha Kumar will look to create havoc among HFC’s backline, making it a tough clash for the Yellow and Black.

Speaking ahead of the game, HFC First Team Coach Conor Nestor said, “We can all see that East Bengal has a strong squad. They are organized, look well prepared, and are a real threat in set-pieces. They will be hungry for their first win in front of their home fans, and I expect a tough game for my side.“

Hyderabad, who were knocked out of the Durand Cup early, have had a vigorous pre-season. New faces Jonathan Moya, Petteri Pennanen, Joe Knowles, Felipe Amorim, and Oswaldo Alanis will all be waiting to get their first taste of Indian football in the city of Joy. With the Indian core still intact at the club, Hyderabad, who also beat East Bengal in a pre-season friendly earlier in the month, will look to give their best in this crunch clash.

“We are a group that is willing to learn and fight for the jersey,” said Conor, speaking about his team. “The improvement has been huge over the last few weeks. They are a hungry group, willing to work hard and fight for the jersey, and that is what the fans can expect this weekend.”

Hyderabad will also sport a new-look coaching staff on the bench and will look to start a new chapter in its history on the right note. The game kicks off at 8:00 pm IST on Saturday, September 30, and will be telecasted live on Sports 18 and VH1, with free streaming on Jio Cinema.

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