Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – December 22: Mumbai City FC (MCFC) secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC (CFC) in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Saturday, thanks to Nikolaos Karelis's early goal. The match proved to be an intense contest with few clear scoring opportunities, which, combined with head coach Petr Kratky's post-game reflections, highlighted the Islanders' struggles and potential future adjustments.
Kratky, expressing dissatisfaction with his team's overall display, acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly concerning the loss of possession. "To be honest, I wasn’t pleased with how we played. We aim for a style of football emphasizing keeping the ball and controlling the game. Yet, we made too many cheap turnovers, which put us under unnecessary pressure," he said during the post-match briefing.
The victory raised Mumbai City FC to fourth place, presenting them with three valuable points, which Kratky recognized as pivotal for their campaign. "We still have a lot to build on. This win is important for our campaign. A clean sheet, 1-0, reflects the improvement from past weeks, where we drew due to missed opportunities," he added.
Despite the three points, the coaching staff’s concerns about the team's scoring ability remained evident. The Islanders have the lowest goal tally among the top six teams, with just 15 goals over 12 matches. Kratky addressed this, emphasizing the importance of securing points over merely focusing on the number of goals. "Not really [a concern about goal scoring]. The points are what truly matter... Yes, we’ve recorded only four goals so far, but look at the points we’ve accrued over the last four games. That’s what counts for us," he remarked.
Each of MCFC’s last three wins has been by 1-0, illustrating both the team's defensive resilience and its current struggle to find the net consistently. Kratky admitted, "Ideally, I’d love to win every match by three or four goals, but that's the nature of football. We take it one game at a time and are optimistic about our gradual progress."
Reflecting on the match's dynamic, Karelis's decisive goal came as early as the eighth minute, as he executed a well-placed shot from the centre of the box. Although they managed to maintain control following the lead, MCFC faced numerous opportunities from Chennaiyin FC, which they successfully defended against.
Chennaiyin FC, positioned ninth after the defeat, demonstrated grit but failed to capitalize on any of their chances. Their head coach, Owen Coyle, had hoped for strategies to penetrate the Mumbai defense but found little success throughout the match.
"We need to evaluate our current situation, especially with several players sidelined," Kratky noted. Discussing the upcoming January transfer window, he expressed intentions to assess their options, particularly considering injuries to notable squad members including Jeremy Manzorro and Akash Mishra. "This is a busy period, and I must identify what we have and how to improve the squad for January," he stated.
Looking forward, the focus will remain on refining existing strategies, ensuring players can work effectively on the field even with existing obstacles. Kratky concluded optimistically, mentioning, "Despite the missing players, we can still achieve victories. It’s hard work, but we’re capable of winning with the resources at our disposal."
This win not only boosts the team's morale but also builds momentum as they prepare for their next fixtures. Despite the challenges they face, including securing additional squad strength, the Islanders continue to push forward, striving for greater heights within the ISL season.
