ISL 2023-24 Semifinal: After a prolonged onslaught, Mumbai City FC finally tames the Gaurs

On a sultry Wednesday evening under the floodlights, the Fatorda Stadium was buzzing. Then the clock struck 90. After that, silence. Except for that small pocket of fans clad in blue, who had engaged in friendly and sometimes not-so-friendly banter with the sea of orange around them. Outnumbered as they might have been, they had the last laugh and will relish every second of their journey back to Mumbai. 

Mumbai City FC beat FC Goa 3-2 in their first-leg Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 semifinal clash and created history with it. Trailing 2-0, the Islanders scored three goals in seven minutes – 90, 90+1, 90+6 – becoming the first team in the competition’s history to do so in that timeframe. They also became the first side to score multiple goals in injury time of the second half of an ISL playoff game. 

For most, this unprecedented comeback is shocking. But the ones who have crunched numbers throughout the season will say that this unforeseen comeback is not unusual.

Before its semifinal first leg against the Gaurs, Mumbai had scored 39 goals this season in the ISL, 10 of which came between the 76th and 90th minute, making it the Islanders’ favourite period to score. So, if one negates the grandeur of a late comeback in a nervy semifinal clash, Mumbai City performed according to the statistics. 

The Van Nieff effect

Before the semifinal first leg against Goa, Mumbai City’s defensive midfielder Yoell van Nieff told Sportstar, “My main role is to ensure that the balance of the team is good. The defensive job is more important for me, I agree, that I want to be more involved in the attacking part, not necessarily scoring goals but maybe giving more assists and pre-assists.”

Against Goa, the Dutchman made 21 passes into the final third, and during the lean phases of Mumbai, he was the primary source of supplying balls from midfield to the forward line.

Changing the game from the bench

Amidst the adulation for Mumbai goalscorers Lallianzuala Chhangte and Vikram Partap Singh, head coach Petr Kratky’s genius substitutions might go under the radar. But two of Kratky’s changes played a major role in his team’s miraculous comeback. 

Realising that his team needed to make a late attacking surge, the Czech took off two mainstays in his backline to facilitate attack-minded players. Forward Gurkirat Singh replaced centre-back Tiri, and midfielder Jayesh Rane replaced right-back Mehtab Singh. Kratky had a setback earlier, losing attacking fullback Akash Mishra due to injury. 

Rane and Gurkirat came on in the 82nd and 88th minute, respectively, impacting all three goals Mumbai scored. 

In the 90th minute, it was Rane’s perfectly weighted through-ball that assisted Chhangte in scoring his first goal. 

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For Mumbai’s second goal, it was Gurkirat’s shot at the far-corner that forced a save from Goa keeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, with the rebound falling to Vikram, who tapped it in with the simplest of finishes. 

For the Islanders’ third and winning strike, Rane once again spotted Chhangte and, despite being under pressure, managed to squeeze a pass to the Mizo inside the box, who lashed the ball inside the net to complete the comeback. 

After the match, Kratky said it was all about being patient and taking the chances – “I do not think they [FC Goa] dominated all 90 minutes. The game was equal. They had good patches, and then, we had ours.” 

The ‘Chhangte’ revelation

Mumbai’s semifinal hero with two late goals, Lallianzuala Chhangte, is not a new kid on the block. Winning the AIFF Men’s Player of the Year award last season, the 28-year-old from Lunglei, Mizoram, has been making an impact on Indian football for quite a while now. 

This season, he has continued his stellar form and, with nine goals and six assists till now, has the highest goal contributions for an Indian player.

With an xG ( abbreviation for ‘expected goals’ – a statistical measurement of the quality of goalscoring chances and the likelihood of them being scored) of 0.62, Chhangte outperformed everyone in the semifinal clash.

Maintaining a shot conversion rate of 100 per cent, he had seven touches in the opposition’s box – again highest among everyone in the match. Also, he won six out of the eight duels (75 per cent success rate) he committed to.

For FC Goa, it was a chance missed to carry a healthy advantage to the second leg. Despite the late comeback, it is just a one-goal lead for Mumbai. If the first leg is anything to go by, buckle your seats for the return fixture at the Mumbai Football Arena on April 29.

“A new game. A 0-0 start. So, it is simple – we play to win. We need to have the mentality to win, and it helps that we are going home after a good comeback from here.” Kratky said after the match.