A look back at Mumbai City FC’s biggest ISL victories

Mumbai City FC have boasted of some great strikers in the past who had taken the Indian Super League by storm when they sported the club’s colours on the field. Diego Forlan, Nicolas Anelka and Sunil Chhetri are the biggest names on the list. Thus, there’s little doubt that over the years, the club have rarely failed to live up to the big names.

Mumbai City have recorded some of the most memorable victories in ISL and here we take a look at the biggest of them.

Mumbai City FC 5-0 Pune City FC | ISL 2014

In the inaugural season, Mumbai City did not have the best of times, finishing seventh. However, the season saw some high points, one of them being a 5-0 rout of the now-defunct Pune City FC. The ‘Maharashtra derby’ saw Mumbai dominating the match. They scored as early as the 12th minute through Andre Moritz. The Brazilian went on to score two more during the course of the game to record a hat-trick - a first for the club. Subhash Singh and Johan Letzelter scored the other goals and a late substitute appearance from Freddie Ljungberg made the victory even sweeter.

Credits: AFP/Punit Paranjpe

Mumbai City FC 5-1 NorthEast United FC | ISL 2015

Mumbai’s next big victory also saw a hat-trick, this time by India’s ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’, Chhetri. The game was relatively quiet in the first quarter before it suddenly sprung to life in the 25th minute. Mumbai were given a penalty and Chhetri duly put it away. However, NorthEast got back five minutes later, equalizing through Boithang Haokip. Chhetri again scored in the 41st minute, ensuring Mumbai went into half-time with a 2-1 lead. The second half was one-way traffic with Chhetri scoring another penalty to seal his treble, with Sony Norde and Frantz Bertin scoring two more across the half to give Mumbai a comfortable victory.

Read | Mumbai City FC: Gunning for glory with a new-look team

Mumbai City FC 5-0 Kerala Blasters FC | ISL 2016

A third five-goal glut from Mumbai City FC a year later, and the game predictably saw another hat-trick, this time by Forlan. It was made even more special by the fact that it came against the season’s finalists, Kerala Blasters FC. Mumbai were in prime form that season and they stamped their authority in this game. The Uruguayan legend scored as early as the fifth minute, adding another in the 14th to deflate Kerala. He was not done though as he came back to score a third in the second-half, with Brito Alves and Lucian Goian adding the other two in a humiliating defeat for the team from the south.

Mumbai City FC 4-0 Delhi Dynamos FC | ISL 2017-18

This was Mumbai’s first big victory which did not see an individual hat-trick, as the whole team worked collectively to ensure a sound result. Mumbai City FC started out well, with Lucian Goian scoring in the 12th minute and Everton Santos adding a second just before half-time. Right on the cusp of 45 minutes, a heated fracas saw both teams reduced to 10 men. Sehnaj Singh was sent off from Mumbai’s end while Matias Mirabaje saw red from the opposing team. But it was Mumbai City who reacted better of the two. Four minutes into the second half, Thiago Santos scored a third for Mumbai, essentially killing off the game before Balwant Singh scored a fourth late in the game to rub salt into Delhi’s wounds.

Mumbai City FC 6-1 Kerala Blasters FC | ISL 2018-19

Mumbai delivered their most brutal performance last season. And if you are wondering, it did see a hat-trick by yet another accomplished striker - Modou Sougou. The Senegalese opened the scoring for Mumbai City in the 12th minute, and doubled his and the club’s tally three minutes later. Indian midfield ace Seiminlen Doungel gave Kerala some hope when he pulled one back just before the half-hour mark. However, Sougou sealed his hat-trick in the 30th minute to give Mumbai a two-goal cushion once again. Kerala faced further agony when Zakeer Mundampara was sent off at half-time. Rafael Bastos put in a fourth late in the second-half and two final-minute goals by Mathias Mirabaje and Sougou again capped off a terrible night for Kerala Blasters.

Read | Jorge Costa: A Jose Mourinho protégé tasked to keep Mumbai City FC rolling

Featured image courtesy: AFP/ Dibyangshu Sarkar

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Antoine Griezmann: A signing that Messi still can’t fathom

The promise of turning things for better at the Camp Nou seems to be withering away as the goal scoring form of Antoine Griezmann has taken a backseat. What started as a promising display of sportsmanship and clinical finishing on the pitch earlier this season, has now been clouded by a failure to communicate between the two unparalleled forwards of our generation – Griezmann and Lionel Messi.

The 28-year-old Frenchman has been facing a lot of heat due to his sloppiness on the pitch and has only been a recipient of a mere four goals in 15 appearances across all competitions. Giving the benefit of the doubt to the Blaugrana, Griezmann’s performances with his former club Atletico Madrid were spell binding where the Frenchman lead the attack for the Los Rojiblancos. Barcelona expected a similar performance from the Frenchman, but the star forward has failed to live up to his price tag of 120 million euros so far.

Many would argue that he is enduring a poor run of form but if you look closely, the bitter truth of his strained relationship with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez is evident on the pitch.      

The holy trinity is incomplete

FC Barcelona’s President Josep Maria Bartomeu's aspirations to have an MSN (Messi-Suarez-Neymar Jr) like effect from the very beginning has gone for a toss. Barcelona’s European adventures have been less than satisfactory with the most disappointing result coming against Slavia Prague at home in the Champions League.

Credits: AFP/ Josep Lago

The formidable attacking trio the club had in Neymar, Suarez and Messi seemed like an irreplaceable entity, but the lack of trust that both Messi and Suarez have on the Frenchman has drained the entire scheme of things. Messi has time and again refuted reports of any disparities with Griezmann, but the Argentinian forward seems to be going back on his words.

In the recently held encounter against Slavia Prague, there were only four passes between the pair of Messi and Griezmann, three of which came from Messi to the Frenchman. What’s more worrisome is the fact that in the four Champions League encounters this season, the duo has exchanged just 18 passes which is substantially low if considered the fluid passes exchanged between the forwards of various top clubs in Europe.

"Messi is not someone who talks a lot, and neither am I, so it is a little difficult for us to communicate," a simple statement made by Griezmann a while back is now being echoed across clubs in Europe. The mood in the camp is still eerie and uneasy as far as Messi and Griezmann are considered and it tends to get worse witnessing Suarez and Messi stealing the limelight while the Frenchman waits for a miracle.

Lately, in a La Liga encounter against Celta Vigo, the lack of faith was prevalent when Messi ran down the pitch and into the opponent’s penalty area where Griezmann was waiting with ample of space on the left flank. The Argentinian didn’t acknowledge the presence of Griezmann on the left and took a shot which was deflected by the cross bar. It was just another night of superhuman abilities of Messi when he struck three goals, which included two sublime free kicks while Griezmann waited in the dark.

The chemistry is still lacking.

Was it a panic buy?

In order to fulfil the wish of the fans and continuous persuasion from club icons like Messi and Suarez, Barcelona were in full swing to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou. But after the negotiations fell through, the need of rectifying that damage was evident as an ageing attack was a question that needed answers. Bartomeu convinced Griezmann for a move to Barcelona but the news of the transfer received mixed responses.

Also Read: Neymar and Barcelona: An unfulfilled partnership in 2019

The fans weren’t entirely satisfied as they believed it was a compensatory signing for Neymar. But the crux of the matter remains as despite a dip in form, Griezmann’s transfer has not yet been entirely fruitful. If the club needs to regain their European glory, the club captain and the Frenchman needs to reconcile their differences and embark on tough waters together.

Feature image courtesy: AFP/ Jorge Guerrero

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Paulo Machado: A mean-machine of Mumbai City FC’s apparatus

Jorge Costa’s induction in Mumbai City FC’s roster in 2018 brought upon extensive transformations. The Portuguese, who played for Jose Mourinho’s Champions League winning FC Porto team, got onto the wheel following Alexandre Guimarães departure and laid down a sheer no-nonsense approach. And with it, he brought in some of the stellar names of the industry, including his countryman, Paulo Machado.

“When Jorge Costa and Mumbai City FC presented this opportunity to me to join this wonderful club, I did not have to think twice,” said the midfielder after completing his move.

Being one of the most experienced campaigners, giving Machado the captain’s armband was a no-brainer. The midfielder though took his time settling in and that indeed affected Mumbai’s early results last season. But following a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of FC Goa, the team got into the groove and went on an exhilarating nine-game winning run. And of course, Machado played a vital role in the stretch.

Late in January this year, Mumbai played host to the eventual champions, Bengaluru FC and it was Machado’s goal in the 29th minute which made the difference. Apart from scoring the winner, the midfielder had a whopping 55 touches in the game and put in five tackles to be adjudged the man of the match.

Read | Mumbai City FC: Gunning for glory with a new look team

A 5-1 defeat to Goa back in March is largely remembered as an absolute humiliation, but what went under the radar is the fact that Machado played nine key passes during the game and won nine corners, which was by far the most by player in either side.

The Portuguese’s mystic understanding with the likes of Arnold Issoko, Rafael Bastos and Modou Sougou was crucial in Mumbai’s run towards their second-ever semi-finals of the tournament. His return of two goals and four assists coupled with 93 tackles (third-best in the league last season) was enough for the team to hand him a two-year extension.

Despite being a journeyman for most of his career, Machado has been a vital member for every team has been a part of. Starting off his career with FC Porto, he represented as many as four clubs while on loan before making a permanent move to Toulouse in 2009.

Read | Four high-profile foreign players to have donned Mumbai City FC shirt

After spending three years and making 100 appearances for the French side, he decided to move to Greece, joining Olympiacos, with whom he not only won two back-to-back league titles but played a role in beating Manchester United 2-0 in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

Credits: AFP / Aris Messinis

What followed next was a three-year stint with Dinamo Zagreb and despite making a noteworthy impact in their title-winning seasons, his tenure was marred with an unfortunate controversy with the fans. In September 2017, Machado made a trip back home, joining C.D. Aves before being called by Costa in India.

Lodging Machado in a two-man midfield in his usual 4-3-2-1 setup paid dividends as the midfielder ended his season with the most number of passes (925), touches (1130), interceptions (24) and tackles (93) for the Islanders. The Portuguese was not only tasked to do the dirty work but was also asked to orchestrate or stretch the game at times, which as you can expect, he did to mere perfection.

Mumbai City may have shown early signs of regression this season, but the fact that Machado remains their undoubtedly salient serviceman is simply out of any debate.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @indsuperleague

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That’s odd: Return of the Argentine gladiator

International football returns to the scene and it promises to bring another week of substantial zing. While the UEFA European qualifiers will grab most of the attention, Asian countries will bulge into the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, and a few South American nations will lock horns in international friendlies.

A two-week layoff from domestic football is scheduled in a style that the European qualifiers will have a firm result. With all this happening, it is certain to feel sceptic about the picks. But we bet that if you keep an eye on the following games, your week will be smooth as a whistle.

Brazil vs Argentina:

It may just be a friendly game on paper, but Brazil taking on Argentina has never really disappointed. Expect goals; be it from any team. Both of them, in fact, played their last 0-0 draw during the Superclasico de las Americas showdown in 2011. Since then, either Brazil or Argentina have scored at least two goals in seven out of 10 games.

Thus, the odds of this match being a stalemate are little, to say the least.

Speaking of their head to head count, Brazil edge Argentina with 46 victories out of 110 games. Argentina, on the other hand, have 39 victories in their kitty, while the stakes have been shared on 25 occasions. And if you’re wondering about their recent meeting, well it came during the semi-finals of the Copa America in July this year where goals from Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino helped Brazil eliminate Argentina from the competition.

Watch out for:

Lionel Messi: The five-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner is back in contention after serving his three-month ban. The 32-year-old, who is enjoying a great run of form of late, is tipped to make a strong impact as he is coming on the back of a hat-trick scored during Barcelona’s thumping 4-1 win over Celta Vigo.

Messi, in fact, has either scored or assisted in eight of his last nine appearances for the club, and this without a shadow of doubt makes him a firm favourite to start.

His past experiences against Brazil though haven’t been really fruitful. Since bursting on to the international scene, Messi’s first encounter against the Selecao came in 2006 where Brazil emerged victorious through a comfortable margin.

Messi’s losing streak against Brazil continued until 2010 when Argentina finally broke the voodoo with a 1-0 victory in a friendly in Doha. This was, in fact, his first goal against the five-time World Cup winners. A stunning hat-trick in New Jersey in front of a crowd of 82,000 then led Argentina to a 4-3 win over the Selecao, but the forward has been on a downward spiral since.

A 2-0 defeat in 2014 was followed by a 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat in 2016 before running out of luck in their Copa America semi-final this year once again.

This pretty much sums Messi’s performance against Brazil.

England vs Montenegro:

Image: AFP / Olly Greenwood

England have been pretty firm on their road towards next year’s European Championships, winning five of their last six games in Group A. What they need now is only a point to seal a berth alongside Belgium, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, and Ukraine.

The Three Lions, in fact, have been utterly ruthless during qualifying, scoring at least four goals in five of their last six outings. So just don’t expect this fixture to be a tedious watch. Look forward to goals galore.

England’s record during the qualifiers for the Euros is outstanding, having won a whopping 17 of their 19 games. Also unbeaten in 12 home qualifying games, they have scored at least twice in 14 of their last 16 matches.

Montenegro, on their part, are yet to register a win against England, but have managed to play out three draws in their five overall meetings.

Look out for:

Harry Kane: The England captain has failed to score in his last two club appearances, but his figures for England are stunning. The 26-year-old assisted three goals and got himself a goal in England’s 6-0 thrashing of Bulgaria last time out.

His return of six goals and four assists in last four games for England is enough to underline what kind of danger he carries. 

Wondering what to do next? Head to Sportsbet.io to select your picks.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Douglas Magno

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ISL Top Moments: Tricks, saves and celebrations that stole the show

The Indian Super League 2019-20 enters its first international break of the new season, with all clubs having played four matches each. Needless to say, FC Goa and NorthEast United’s unbeaten run have made the competition riveting, while individual performances have only escalated fans’ craving for more. But then again, ATK, with a blistering run of form, acquire the top spot in the standings.

As many as 52 goals have been scored in 20 games, which means the tournament averages 2.6 goals per games. But as they say, football is not only goals. There are several attributes which make this sport a sheer treat to the eye. Having said that, we’ve forked out some of the best moments from the tournament so far. So just sit back and enjoy!

IMPRESSIVE TRICKS

What we have here for you is absolute composure. Despite being the last line of defence, Rahul Bheke’s ice-cool approach kept his team, Bengaluru FC out of danger.

Pace, flair and an ability to deal with tight situations describe Kerala Blasters’ Rahul KP here. Just imagine the feeling if that had gone in.

In doing what you’re about to see, you need a telepathic conveyance with your teammate, and NorthEast United’s Maximiliano Barreiro did it to perfection. Sad about the end result though.

Kerala’s young protégé, Sahal Abdul Samad made quite in impact last season, and it is fair to say the only way from here is up. Smooth as a whistle from the 22-year-old.

BRILLIANT SAVES

Strong hand there from NorthEast United FC’s custodian, Subhasish Roy. His vision was blocked, but his anticipation wasn’t.

What really can you say about Bengaluru FC’s Gurpreet Singh Sandhu? Have a look at this save and we’ll just leave it up to you.

Another masterclass from Subhasish. David de Gea, are you watching?

They say keepers need to make themselves big in one-on-one situations. How about that for a save from Jamshedpur’s Subrata Paul.

Now that we’re aware of his one-on-one technique, how about having a look at his reflex save.

You might be wondering if there’s any other keeper in the last apart from the mentioned three. Well, how can we not include this from Subhasish?

Sweet strike here from Choudhary, but what about the save from Gurpreet?

UNIQUE CELEBRATIONS

The joy of scoring a last-minute equalizer is unparalleled, to say the least, something FC Goa’s Manvir Singh experienced to the tee.

Not really sure what that means from Asamoah Gyan, but it is fun to watch, isn’t it?

Just mute the audio and imagine a South American commentator commentating the goal. Wouldn’t it be “Chermiti Chermiti Chermiti Chermiti Chermiti…”?

Wait! Is anybody going to ask where that player jumped off?

That feeling of scoring your first goal of the season.

PUTTING THE BODY ON THE LINE

Speaking of putting your body on the line, how about that for a block?

If defending is an art, then FC Goa’s Seriton Fernandes is Picasso of it.

The challenge from Joyner Lourenco was so good that not even a single Odisha player appealed against it.

THE SHOW-STEALER

We don’t want to comment on this. Why don’t you try a hand?

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndSuperLeague

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Fantasy Focus: Lewandowski, Ramos are the lead choices this week

The penultimate matchday of the UEFA European Championship qualifying takes centre-stage as footballers around the globe return to international duty. Devoid of domestic footballing action for a week, the fans will have to make amends with yet another entertaining round of international fixtures, which brings along a bucketload of excitement.

Plenty of drama awaits as defending European champions, Portugal take on Lithuania, while Russia and Germany host Belgium and Belarus respectively. In the midst, Asian giants Japan will make a trip to Kyrgyzstan for their FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, while Lebanon will play host to South Korea.

With these many fixtures stacked within just seven days, here we provide the Nostragamus fantasy managers five easy picks to get their week up and rolling.

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI

Country: Poland

Match: Israel vs Poland

A brace at the Allianz Arena against his old club, Borussia Dortmund made striker Robert Lewandowski the first player in Bundesliga history to score in 11 consecutive league games. The 31-year-old’s form is so prolific right now that he has scored in all of Bayern's Bundesliga and Champions League games this season.

And as he returns to serve Poland against Israel on November 16, the odds are stacked right in his favour. He was unable to score in Poland’s last game against North Macedonia, but remember that he scored an invaluable hat-trick against Latvia in the matchday 7 of the competition.

GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM

Country: Netherlands

Match: Northern Ireland vs Netherlands

Midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has propelled to a great extent under Ronald Koeman for the Netherlands. Usually deployed as a no. 10 or on the left side of a three-man midfield, the 28-year-old has four goals and an assist in his last four appearances for the team.

Image: AFP / Sergei Gapon

Koeman’s men are scheduled to make a trip to Windsor Park to face Northern Ireland, whom they defeated 3-1 at home last month, on November 16 so expect Wijnaldum to be the driving force of his team’s attacks on the night.

SERGIO RAMOS

Country: Spain

Match: Spain vs Malta

A late equalizer from Rodrigo against Sweden last month sealed Spain’s place in next year’s finals, but the 2010 FIFA World Cup winners still have two games to play. First up is a visit of Malta, who have lost all their last six games. This particular game provides the perfect opportunity of picking a centre-half given that Malta have failed to score in all of those defeats. And who better than Sergio Ramos?

Now renowned as a penalty specialist, Ramos has scored three goals in Real Madrid’s last four fixtures. As for Spain, he has four in his last seven appearances, and these figures are superb for a centre-back. The 33-year-old further promises extra points from clean sheets, and goals are only added benefits.

OLIVIER GIROUD

Country: France

Match: France vs Moldova

Despite his limited game time at Chelsea, striker Olivier Giroud remains a vital member of Didier Deschamps France’s squad, and the 33-year-old hasn’t disappointed either. Having scored three goals in his last four appearances for The Blues, this might just be the right time to finally pick the centre-forward in your team given the poor form Moldova are in right now – a solitary win in their last six games.

Moldova, in fact, have conceded a whopping 14 goals in their last five games. Expect Giroud to pile further misery.

JAMES MADDISON

Country: England

Match: England vs Montenegro

It is indeed fair to say that midfielder James Maddison is in the form of his life. Afterall, five goals in last seven appearances for Leicester City in all appearances does speaks volumes. There’s no denying his talent and England recognize that as they called him up for games against Montenegro and Kosovo despite his off field antics.

With Dele Alli out of the squad, Maddison is tipped to take care of laying off his teammates, and given the form he is in right now, there are no uncertainties about getting bonus points.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Daniel Mihailescu

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Four high-profile foreign players to have donned Mumbai City FC shirt

Ever since the Indian Super League kicked off in 2014, many foreign stars have graced the league. Mumbai City FC have had their fair share of these high-profile names who have played in some of the best leagues around the world and some even starred at FIFA World Cups for their nations.

We take a look at some of the most famous names to don the Mumbai City FC jersey in the past six seasons:

Freddie Ljungberg

The Swedish superstar is best remembered for his time at Arsenal where he was a key player for legendary manager, Arsene Wenger, and played a major part in winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups for the club.

Ljungberg played for Mumbai City FC in the inaugural season of the ISL, deciding to come out of retirement to turn out for the club. In fact, he was the marquee player in that season.

His time at Mumbai City FC was constantly interrupted by injuries but the sheer presence of such a player inspired the club and pleased many fans.

Nicolas Anelka

Global football’s most famous journeyman did include India in his travels during the latter stages of his career as he put on the Mumbai City FC jersey for two years in 2014 and 2015.

Anelka boasted the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Juventus, and Real Madrid in his CV so his pedigree was never in doubt. He proved he still had it in him though as he scored some crucial goals for the side in the first season.

AFP / Dibgyangshu Sarkar

He subsequently decided to stay back for another year in 2015, this time though he was made player-manager. He did not have much impact though as Mumbai finished sixth, but nevertheless had gotten the taste of a superstar amongst their ranks.

Manuel Friedrich 

Yet another star to make his bow for Mumbai City FC in the first season of the ISL was retired German defender, Manuel Friedrich.

Friedrich had spent all of his career in the Bundesliga, playing for the likes of Werder Bremen, Mainz, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund. He was also a key part of the German back-line in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and scored a great goal in Germany’s 4-2 defeat of Argentina in the tournament.

Friedrich decided to make the move to India with Mumbai City FC in 2014 and performed decently. He played in all 14 games, scoring one goal and manned the back-four effectively.

Diego Forlan 

The final name on the list is probably the best of the lot. Diego Forlan was the player of the tournament at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and his mastering of the infamous Jabulani ball was a sight to behold.

Forlan had turned out for the likes of Atletico Madrid, for whom he was a legend, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Villareal. He proved his poaching instincts in his time at Mumbai City FC, scoring a hat-trick against the Kerala Blasters.

His arrival at the club for the 2016 season seemed to spur the club on, as the Uruguayan scored five goals and made key assists as Mumbai City finished first on the league table. They had made the playoffs for the first time but his sending off in the semi-final against ATK proved costly, as they lost the game despite leading 2-1.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @ISL

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Mumbai City FC: Gunning for glory with a new look team

Mumbai City FC after finishing third in the 2018-19 Indian Super League campaign, are in the hunt for their first-ever league title. Getting over the disappointment of the past, the team is now back roaring under the tutelage of Jorge Costa, who has brought upon several positives since his arrival in 2018.

Known for making the most of the limited resources at his disposal, the Portuguese, who won the UEFA Champions League under Jose Mourinho in 2004, made MCFC a force to reckon with last season, with the team winning only a game less than the eventual winners, Bengaluru FC.

Changes in the team

There have been a few changes in personnel as the team entered the new season of the competition. Versatile winger Arnold Issoko, who had seven assists last season (joint-most) left for France, while Rafael Bastos, who scored five, made his move back to his home country, Brazil, leaving Costa with big voids to fill.

Read | Jorge Costa: A Jose Mourinho protégé tasked to keep Mumbai City FC rolling

The biggest miss perhaps is going to be that of Lucian Goian, a towering centre-back who moved to Chennaiyin FC this year after spending three seasons with Mumbai. Compensating for it, Mato Grgic was signed from NorthEast United ahead of the season. Other incomers include the likes of Rowllin Borges – a firm shield of the back four, Amine Chermiti - a poacher with a keen eye for goal, Sarthak Golui - a promising defender, and a versatile forward, Serge Kevyn. All of them are expected to fill up the vacancies created since last season.

The squad

Goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, who kept six clean sheets last season (joint-most with Pawan Kumar and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu), has been an ever-present figure between the sticks for Mumbai and there’s absolutely no reason for Costa to make a shift.

As far as the back-four is concerned, it remains to be seen how exactly Grgic manages to complement his new teammates.

Read | Why Rowllin Borges is Mumbai City FC’s most influential player

The midfield, on paper, seems completely in place and the arrival of Borges has only made it stronger. The kind of impact Issoko had in the previous season though is expected to be felt in some way as his direct approach and lung-bursting runs down the right-flank were pivotal for the team.

Furthermore, experienced campaigner Paulo Machado will look to have a similar impact, while the likes of Raynier Fernandes, Kevyn, Mohamed Larbi, Diego Carlos and others provide further strength in the department.

Challenging Ferran Corominas for the Golden Boot is a daunting task, but Chermiti and Modou Sougou could well and truly make an attempt to unsettle the Spaniard. The striking duo can indeed wreak havoc, but can they get enough services from the midfield? Only time will tell.

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Ravi Kumar, Kunal Sawant.

Defenders: Mato Grgic, Souvik Chakraborty, Subhasish Bose, Pratik Chaudhari, Anwar Ali, Valpuia, Sarthak Golui.

Midfielders: Paulo Machado, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Serge Kevyn, Mohamed Larbi, Diego Carlos, Sourav Das, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy, Bipin Singh, Bidyananda Singh, Surchandra Singh, Pranjal Bhumij.

Forwards: Amine Chermiti, Modou Sougou.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @MumbaiCityFC

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Jorge Costa: A Jose Mourinho protégé tasked to keep Mumbai City FC rolling

The announcement of Jorge Costa by Mumbai City FC after a torrid 2017-18 Indian Super League season was enough to instil a sense of fresh air amongst the Islanders. The Portuguese after all came in with the reputation of being a Jose Mourinho protégé, having captained the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager’s Champions League-winning Porto team in 2004.

“Becoming a coach after hanging up my boots had a lot to do to with my love for the game. When I had the opportunity to keep working in the game as a coach, I didn’t have to think twice. Football is my life, and I’m fortunate to be doing what I love,” the gaffer said in an interview with Hindustan Times.

Costa, who turned 48 in October, has enjoyed supreme success as a player, having won eight Primeira Liga titles with Porto, but his managerial record has been a total contrast. Since being on the other side of the pitch, Costa has found it difficult to settle into a stable home, having managed 11 teams before coming to Mumbai.

It indeed took him time to adapt to the flavour of Indian football, but positive results during the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand was enough to create a buzz. The Portuguese got off to a slow start to his new life with a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of FC Goa in the 2018-19 season bringing back the horrors of the past.

Read | Top five goals of ISL 2019-20 season so far

The defeat, however, triggered Mumbai City’s fortune to an extent that the club went on a nine-match winning run before finishing third in the table. The club made it to the semi-finals for only the second time in history. Goa once again spoiled their party, but the fans knew what was in store.

A shrewd approach in the 2018-19 season not only gave an idea of his tactical expertise but also highlighted his quick-witted outlook of dealing with a limited budget under which the likes of Rafael Bastos, Paolo Machado and Lucian Goian arrived. In his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, Costa expects his wingers to be the workhorses and mostly relies on the counter-attack; a trait that can be found common in Mourinho’s style of play.

Machado in particular, commands the midfield and with his vast experience in European football, compliments his teammates to perfection; a role which Cesc Fabregas was given during Chelsea’s 2014-15 Premier League triumph.

Read | The Roy Krishna story: From Fiji via New Zealand to India

Destiny hasn’t really favoured Costa this season. They did start with a narrow 1-0 win over Kerala but have gone on to concede eight goals in the next two games. But he is sure to make things better.

“My players knew what to do but still, they did not. If you do not do as I say, then I need to change you. I believe my players want to do it, but they cannot,” Costa said in the post-match press conference after the defeat to Goa.

“And if they cannot then I will not close my eyes. When I came here, it was to succeed. I think we had a very good first season. I am not here for the holidays, so the things must be as I want. I’m the boss, I must take decisions and stop these silly goals.”

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @ISL

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Mumbai City FC Indian Super League

Top five goals of ISL 2019-20 season so far

As the Indian Super League nears the last international break of 2019, we take a look at the first 15 days of riveting football this season. So far, this edition has witnessed quite a number of brilliant goals, with new signings like Odisha FC’s Aridane Santana and ATK’s David Williams capturing major attention with their early peak.

Here we list down five ultimate goals scored in the first 15 matches of ISL 2019-20 that is sure to delight the fans.

ARIDANE SANTANA

Club: Odisha FC
Against: Mumbai City FC

Acquired on loan from the Spanish outfit Cultural Leonesa, the 32-year-old Santana has taken to the league like a duck takes to water. His best performance this season has come against Mumbai City FC away from home where he assisted one and got two in his kitty. 21 minutes into the game and youngster Jerry Mawihmingthanga laid a sweet ball for the striker on the edge of the box. It might have felt easier for the spectators, but there was still a lot to do than what met the eye. Santana, who connected the ball with his right, slotted home with a neat finish at the bottom right corner to give his team a two-goal cushion.

SERGIO CASTEL

Club: Jamshedpur FC
Against: Odisha FC

Despite being reduced to 10 men inside 35 minutes, Jamshedpur FC seemed reluctant on giving away a win. With the game tied at 1-1 until 84 minutes, the Men of Steel decided to up the thrust and capitalized on a counter. Piti, running towards the final line of defenders, found Sergio Castel on his right, and the Spaniard – with his neat touch – got into the goal-scoring opportunity. Francisco Dorronsoro did try closing him down, but a lovely chip over the keeper found the back of the net to send the home fans into a frenzy.

ROY KRISHNA

Club: ATK
Against: Hyderabad FC

Mere two minutes after Williams had put ATK in front with a neat finish against Hyderabad, new signing Roy Krishna made his mark with an absolute beauty from distance. The Fiji captain was afforded yards of space and he duly pounced upon the given opportunity. He indeed needed an assistant from the frame of the goal, but one cannot deny the exquisite class of his strike.

CARL MCHUGH

Club: ATK
Against: Kerala Blasters

The first game of the new ISL season kicked off in absolute style, with the away team, ATK finding the net in as early as the sixth minute. A long set-piece delivery was sent all the way to the away post and center-back Agus, with his tall frame, headed the ball into the dangerous area, founding fellow defender Carl McHugh, who decided to take the shot first time with a calculated left-footed volley. The ball swung over everyone including keeper Bilal Khan to find its way into the net.

MARCELINHO

Club: Hyderabad FC
Against: Kerala Blasters

After enduring back-to-back defeats in the opening two games, Hyderabad FC bounced back with a narrow 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters. As the match entered its final 10 minutes, Hyderabad were awarded a free-kick some 25 odd yards out. It indeed seemed a long way out, but up stepped the Brazilian, Marcelinho whose left-footed curler swung into the top left corner to give his side a much-deserved win. 

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @ATK

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Kerala Blasters FCSergio Castel Martínez - ForwardAridane Jesus Santana Cabrera - Forward Marcelinho - MidfielderATKHyderabad FCRoy Krishna - Forward Indian Super League