Mumbai City eye fourth win on the trot
Victory against ATK on Saturday will leave Costa’s team level on points with tabletoppers Goa and Bengaluru
MUMBAI: After a disappointing start to their Indian Super League campaign this term — just one win in the first four outings — Mumbai City FC have bounced back with three wins on the trot.
Should they win against a struggling ATK at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday, they would become only the second team after Bengaluru FC to win four successive games in the history of the tournament. Portuguese manager Jorge Costa will also be satisfied with the team’s sturdy defensive showing, having kept three clean sheets following their 5-0 hammering at the hands of FC Goa exactly a month ago.
At the heart of their resurgence has been captain Lucian Goian, who has been able to lead a backline of Indians— Sauvik Chakrabarti, Subhasish Bose and Joyner Lourenco — into making the most number of tackles (227) and winning the most aerial duels (77) in the tournament this season.
“We have won the last three games so of course I am happy. Especially the way the team played and their spirit. I am very happy with the players,” said Costa, whose team will join Goa and Bengaluru at the top of the table with 16 points provided they win on Saturday.
“We change nothing after the
Goa game. We played a wonderful first half, had a lot of chances to score but we lost because we gave up. That is something we cannot forget. We keep that as a reminder. But we will always fight for all the points until the final whistle for all the games.”
For ATK, the biggest concern has been scoring goals. They have currently scored just seven goals — the joint worst record with Mumbai and Delhi — but whereas Mumbai have let in just three goals, the Kolkatabased outfit have conceded eight. Luck has not been with Kolkata club with new signing Emiliano Alfaro — on loan from FC Pune City to replace Kalu Uche — also getting injured.
NORTHEAST PREVAIL IN THRILLER VS KERALA
GUWAHATI: Northeast United FC scripted a stirring late comeback to stun Kerala Blasters FC 2-1 in a thrilling Indian Super League encounter on Friday.
After a goalless first half, Matej Poplatnik scored in the 73rd minute to hand Kerala the lead. However, a late Bartholomew Ogbeche penalty (90+3’) and an even later winner from Juan Cruz Mascia (90+6’) sealed all three points for NE United.