Steep learning curve for Mumbai City in loss

MUMBAI: In his pre-tournament media address, Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham stressed on the word “smart football” while discussing his team’s playing style in the 2022 AFC Champions League (ACL). For about 30 minutes on their debut in the elite Asian club tournament against Al-Shabab FC in Riyadh on Friday, the 2020-21 Indian Super League champions showed glimpses of what Buckingham sought from players before a penalty opened the floodgates to a 3-0 defeat.

Mumbai City goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa pulled out many saves throughout the contest to resist Al-Shabab’s wave of attacks. But his challenge 36 minutes into it that brought down Carlos at the edge of the box led to a penalty. Buckingham questioned the decision but Ever Banega calmly converted. The experienced Argentine was equally clinical in scoring the second goal in the 68th minute. Substitute Turki Al Ammar made it 3-0 nine minutes later.

“Overall, I am happy with the performance. Not so much the result,” Buckingham said.

“In the first half especially, I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. We lacked that cutting edge in the final third. The decision to give the penalty… I’m not convinced. For me, that was a turning point for a team that worked extremely hard. But it’s no excuse for the second half.”

There was no debating the quality of the two second-half goals by Banega and Al Ammar. On both occasions the Mumbai City defence was outclassed. They provided space for Al-Shabab to flaunt some fine passes before executing the finish. Just the kind of lapse Buckingham had warned could prove costly for the first-timers at this level.

“They were ruthless in front of the goal when they had their chances and we knew that would be the case,” the Englishman said. “It was important that we stayed connected. When we weren’t, they exposed us.”

Al-Shabab, the 2010 semi-finalists who hadn’t played at the ACL group stage since 2015, had 28 shots on goal, 12 of them on target. Mumbai City had none of the mere three shots they took in the match on target.

It also didn’t help that Mumbai City couldn’t field striker Igor Angulo and Bradden Inman, the Australian attacking midfielder who was to fill their Asian foreign spot. Spaniard Angulo—he was this ISL season’s joint-second highest scorer with 10 goals—picked up a calf strain in training, while Inman tested positive for Covid-19 on landing in Saudi Arabia, having joined the squad only on match eve.

Next up for Mumbai City is Iraq’s Air Force Sports Club (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) on Monday. Buckingham said the opening defeat does not alter their outlook. “The experience we take from this game puts us in a good stead. There are plenty of positives to take into the second game. It certainly doesn’t change our target for the tournament.”*