Mumbai City FC will matchup against FC Goa in the Hero ISL Semi-Final. The first leg will take place today at 7:30 PM IST in the famous Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. Both these sides shared points in the two regular-season games during the ISL group stage. However, a winner will have to certainly emerge between the two teams after two legs of action-packed football.
The Islanders come into the game on the back of a disappointing 2-1 loss to Mohun Bagan in the ISL Shield deciding game. Mumbai City had some good chances, but they failed to make the most of it and this led to them missing out on their third ISL Shield. They will be hoping to keep the disappointment from that game behind them and put on a strong performance against FC Goa. The Islanders have been one of the best away teams in the league, which is a good sign as the Gaurs have a terrific record at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
FC Goa’s last defeat was against Kerala Blasters on February 25. Since then, they have won six and drawn two games. In these games, the team has scored 20 goals and conceded only 9 times. They have one of the most balanced teams in the league with talent in both attack and defence. Led by Sandesh Jhingan, the Gaurs have players like Narayan Das, Brandon Fernandes, Rowlin Borges and Udanta Singh, who have all been in big-game situations. They will need their experience to get the better of a Mumbai side who will be looking to get into their second ISL trophy.
Mumbai City FC have lost some important games
Mumbai City FC only needed a draw to clinch the ISL Shield, but Mohun Bagan’s determination prevailed and the Islanders lost the Shield on the final day of the league stage. Last season, the team had a historic run to win the Shield, but they fell short against FC Bengaluru in the Semi-Final stage. They lost the game in a thrilling penalty shootout that ended 9-8 in favour of Bengaluru.
This time, Mumbai City have a chance at ending their big-game misery. The team has one of the best fanbases in the league and will be buzzing for the second leg at home. Despite the talent they have, Mumbai City has visibly struggled in big games over the past couple of seasons. They will be looking to change that by winning against Goa and making it to the ISL Final.
The Gaurs on the other hand will be looking to make the most of their first playoff appearance since the 2020-21 season. They have not won against Mumbai City since 2020 and have gone ten matches without a win against the former Shield winners. The Islanders will be confident given that their record against Goa has been terrific, but Manolo Marquez’s men are capable of pulling off surprises. They have a brilliant team and considering that this game is played at their home, the Gaurs will be looking to steal a win.
