Panjim: Mumbai City FC will kick off the tenth match week of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season under the helm of new head coach Petr Kratky against FC Goa at the Fatorda Stadium on December 12, Tuesday. Overcoming unpredicted obstacles helps champion sides reiterate their credentials. The first half of the current campaign of the Islanders has seen a large part of the focus being on their AFC Champions League run.
However, since they are done with the continental championship now, they can slowly get back in the groove in the Indian top tier. They didn’t take too much time to hit the ground running last week, hitting four goals past Bengaluru FC to show that they will continue to play the way symbolic with them despite the change in guards at the top.
FC Goa, on the other hand, comfortably sits at the top of the table with 19 points from six victories and a draw in seven matches. They have barely put a foot wrong so far and will present a fitting challenge in front of the in-form Islanders. Marquez always relished his contests with Mumbai City FC during his stint with Hyderabad FC, and he will be keen to take them on in his new avatar with the Gaurs, who have not won in any of their last eight games against the incumbent League Winners Shield holders.
What’s at stake?
FC Goa
The Gaurs have endured a somewhat a dream start to the season and they must ensure that they can extend this purple patch for as long as possible. In all fairness, Marquez has a wholesome grasp over what he is doing. Right from the recruitment to the implementation of the playing style, the seasoned tactician has hit the sweet spot in all concerned areas thus far. They can strike two targets with one arrow on the back of a possible win in the coming encounter.
First, they will be able to strengthen their spot atop the standings, and second, they can temporarily ward off a challenge from one of their closest competitors for the big laurels this season. Their backline has been rock-solid thus far, conceding only thrice in seven games until now, which is the least goals they have given away at this stage of any campaign in the ISL.
Simultaneously, they have embraced a direct, concentrated offensive approach, recording 37.6 penalty area entries per game, which is the highest amongst all teams in the competition thus far. This impeccable blend amongst all areas of their gameplay holds them in fantastic stead for the coming game. They have also won their previous three matches on the bounce, and the last time they had gone on a similarly long winning run in the ISL was that of five games between January-February 2020.
Mumbai City FC
Mumbai City FC would have taken incredible confidence from their previous outing, and the arrival of Kratky should make them buoyant with belief at the moment. They seem to have shooed away concerns regarding their form at the Asian stage to sustain their stronghold in the ISL. The Islanders, as a club, have grown exponentially in stature lately.
It is not as easy to break through the Mumbai City FC defensive unit, with significant work and rebuilding being put through in each of their departments for the Islanders to reach the stage that they are at today. One of the keys to their success has been their flawless form on the road, with the team scoring at least once in each of their previous 16 away encounters. It is the joint-longest such streak for any ISL team along with Chennaiyin FC.
They have consecutively won their previous four encounters against FC Goa, and a victory in this match will result in their longest winning run against a single opponent in competition history, along with NorthEast United FC. The Islanders have a chance to stake a claim for the top spot with a win in the home turf of a team unbeaten in the season so far. Rest assured, they will be prepared to take this opportunity with both hands.
