After an enthralling first leg of the second semi-final of the 2023-24 Indian Super League season, the second leg will be played between Mumbai City and Goa at the Mumbai Football Arena on Monday from 7:30 pm onwards.
The Gaurs dominated the first leg at the Fatorda Stadium in the first 89 minutes and were leading 2-0 but ended up conceding three goals in the last few minutes to allow the Islanders to come into the second leg with a slender advantage.
Manolo Marquez discussed the importance of elite mentality and character while mentioning the events that went down in Margao on Wednesday.
The former Hyderabad head coach said,
“We need to improve ourselves in those aspects. Character and mentality are very important, I know several cases of very good players who are at this level but with a good mentality here. It was very painful the other day but we still need to be positive and we think that we can turn the situation around.”
Talking about Monday’s second-leg fixture, Marquez feels that his players are ready for the challenge and would be using the frustration from the first leg to good effect in Andheri.
The head coach said,
“On Monday we will be very confident. It’s a process because it was a tough defeat and then it’s normal to be very sad after the game. It was difficult to sleep that night and it was difficult the next day in the training session.”
Current Form
Mumbai City started the ongoing ISL campaign with an undefeated streak that lasted for nine matches in the league while the Sky Blues were knocked out in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League Group Stage.
The Islanders lost the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup semi-final to Odisha and went on to lose the first match to the Juggernauts after the resumption of the league season. Krtaky’s mem then stitched another 9-game unbeaten streak which Mohun Bagan Super Giant broke on the last day of the league season.
Goa finished third in the 2023-24 ISL league standings with 45 points just behind Mumbai City and defeated Chennaiyin 2-1 in the Eliminator courtesy of goals from Noah Sadaoui and Brandon Fernandes.
The Gaurs also enjoyed a brilliant league season stitching the longest unbeaten streak of the league season which extended into February but three consecutive losses derailed a potential Shield-winning campaign for Marquez’s men.
Head to Head Record
In the 25 fixtures between Goa and Mumbai City, the Islanders have a slight dominance as the Sky Blues have 11 wins while the Gaurs have 7 wins in their bag with 7 fixtures ending as a draw.
In the ongoing ISL season, the Islanders and the Gaurs played out two draws in the league stage and met in the first leg of the semi-final where the Mumbai-based outfit won 3-2 courtesy of a late brace from Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Team News
Alberto Noguera and Jorge Pereyra Diaz missed the first-leg fixture in Goa
The Islanders have a lot of injury concerns with Akash Mishra suffering a knee injury in the first few minutes of the first leg of the semi-final and the former Hyderabad full-back was taken off for Valpuia who is expected to start at left-back in the second leg.
Both Alberto Noguera and Jorge Pereyra Diaz missed the first-leg fixture and head coach Kratky is hopeful that the Spanish midfielder would return for the second leg while no comments were made about the Argentine striker’s unavailability.
On the other hand, Goa also lost a key player in Mohammed Yasir to injury as the former Hyderabad starlet injured his groin while trying to defend a set-piece and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher. Marquez ruled him out of the crucial fixture in Andheri while giving an update on Yasir’s availability in the pre-match press conference.
He said,
“Yeah, one player is injured. Yasir is a very good player. He arrived in the middle of the season and has already scored 2 goals and provided 4 or 5 assists. I love Yasir, I know his family, but he can’t play on Monday, we’ll go with another player.”
As pointed out by the Goa head coach, the Imphal-born player has 6 goal contributions in only 574 minutes for Goa and replacing his quality in the forward line will be a big challenge for the visitors on Monday.
Predicted Starting XIs
Mumbai City (4-3-2-1): Phurba Lachenpa; Rahul Bheke, Thaer Krouma, Tiri, Valpuia; Yoell van Nieff, Apuia, Alberto Noguera; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Vikram Partap Singh; Gurkirat Singh
Goa (4-2-3-1): Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem; Seriton Fernandes, Odei Onaindia, Nim Dorjee Tamang, Jay Gupta; Carl McHugh, Rowllin Borges; Boris Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Noah Sadaoui; Carlos Martinez
Prediction
The Gaurs will arrive pumped up in the City of Dreams to take revenge on the side that knocked them out of the 2020-21 ISL semi-final and also downed them in additional time of the first leg in front of Goa’s home crowd.
Petr Kratky’s side would be high on confidence from the win and can deploy a defensive mindset from the first minute to qualify for the final to take revenge on Mohun Bagan Super Giant as the Mariners edged the Sky Blues to win the 2023-24 ISL League Winners’ Shield.
