KOLKATA, Apr 14:
Table-toppers Mumbai City FC will battle with Mohun Bagan Super Giant at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium here on Monday in a potentially blockbuster match that will decide the ISL league stage winners.
Mumbai City FC have accumulated 47 points from 21 matches, having won all of their last five games. They are closely trailed by Mohun Bagan, who have 45 points from 21 games. A win here will take the Mariners to 48 points, helping them beat the Islanders to the title.
Similarly, a victory for the Islanders will ensure that they lift the coveted League Shield by a margin of five points. Even a draw will be insufficient for the Antonio Lopez Habas-coached Mohun Bagan side to finish atop the standings.
The situation in the league currently is starkly similar to ISL 2020-21. Even back then, the fight for the League Shield had gone to the final day of the league campaign, with the then Sergio Lobera-coached Mumbai City FC edging past Habas’ Mariners by 2-0 courtesy first-half strikes by Mourtada Fall and Bartholomew Ogbeche.
Keeping their attacking prowess aside, Mohun Bagan have been faring fairly well at the back too. They have kept clean sheets in each of their last two matches, and the last time they went on a longer such streak was a run of four games from November-December 2022.
The Mariners have also scored in each of their last five home matches. Their previous-best record on this front was a stretch of six such clashes from October-December 2022. In fact, their current five-game stretch is their longest when scoring multiple goals in a home game.
Mumbai City FC have held the upper hand in most of their recent meetings against Mohun Bagan. They have been unbeaten in their previous eight matches against the Mariners, having won six times and drawn twice in these games.
The Islanders seem to have the perfect fix to the offensive powerhouse that the Mohun Bagan boast of. For instance, Mumbai City FC have kept four clean sheets in their last five away games. Prior to that, they had not conceded a goal in a game in four out of only their previous 14 matches on the road, suggesting a tangible recent development on this front.
Mohun Bagan have dynamic wingers in Liston Colaco and Manvir Singh, who can be lethal with their deliveries from the flank. However, the Islanders have conceded only once from a cross this season, the lowest amongst all teams, cutting down a possible area that the Mariners could have intensified their attacks from.
Manvir has had a terrific campaign so far, netting thrice and assisting seven times across 19 appearances in the ISL. He has provided the most assists by an Indian player this season. In fact, if he provides an assist in this game, he will equal Roy Krishna’s record for most assists provided in a single season by a Mariner in competition history.
On the other hand, Lallianzuala Chhangte inspired Mumbai City FC to an emphatic victory against Odisha FC in their previous match with a goal and an assist each.
Chhangte has notched six goals and assists each in 21 league appearances this season.
“Mumbai City FC are a very good team with many good players. They are unbeaten and also in the top-two spots since a long time now. We’ll try to help our players in ways they can do better tomorrow,” Mohun Bagan Super Giant Assistant Coach Manuel Perez said in the pre-match press conference.
“We have overall done well throughout the season. It’s come down to one game now. It’s like a final now, essentially a game for the League Shield itself,” Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky said before the game. (PTI)
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