ISL semi-final preview: Mumbai City FC vs FC Goa

The stakes couldn't be higher as Mumbai City FC and FC Goa face off in the do-or-die second leg of the ISL semi-finals, on Monday.

Despite FC Goa's commendable performance throughout the 2023-24 ISL season, with 14 wins, six draws, and only four losses, their recent defeat at the hands of Mumbai City FC has put their title hopes on the line. On the other hand Mumbai City seems determined to capitalize on the title at stake to overcome their defeat against Mohun Bagan in the shield deciding game. 

What happened in Goa?

In the first leg held at Goa, FC Goa seemed set for victory with a 2-0 lead until the 90th minute, when Mumbai City FC orchestrated a stunning comeback. Lallianzuala Chhangte's brace, followed by Vikram Partap Singh's late goal, left FC Goa reeling and their fans heartbroken. Now, FC Goa faces the daunting task of overturning a one-goal deficit to secure a spot in the ISL Cup final for the first time in five years.

As both teams prepares for the match, the task ahead is clear: FC Goa must score at least two goals to surpass Mumbai City FC's lead. On the other hand Mumbai City should keep their lead intact.

Should FC Goa manage to level the aggregate score but still find themselves tied at the end of regulation time, they will have the opportunity to secure victory in extra time or via penalties. However, the teams ultimate goal must to seal the win within the allotted 90 minutes, avoiding the uncertainties of extra time and penalties.

Manolo Marquez and Petr Kratky speaks

Speaking ahead of Monday’s crucial game, coach Petr Kratky said that he was very proud of the whole Mumbai City FC team. “This season has been unbelievable, all the players and all the staff have been fantastic, and I am very proud of all of them. Regardless of the result on Monday, we have had a solid season, there had been a couple of setbacks earlier, and we should be proud of the way we have handled ourselves,” he said in the pre-match press conference.

“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 (to see what happened) the other day but we still need to be positive and we think that we can turn the situation (around),” FC Goa gaffer Manolo Marquez remarked.

Where to watch

Fans across India can watch the game live on Sports18 and Jio Cinema.