ISL
ISL: Mumbai City seals 2022-23 League Winners Shield
The Islanders clinched their second Indian Super League shield after their win against FC Goa.
Mumbai City FC (Twitter: Mumbai City FC)
Mumbai City FC clinched the 2022-23 Indian Super League winners shield after they defeated FC Goa 5-3 on Saturday, at the Fatorda stadium in Goa. This is the Islanders' second league winners shield after they did the double back in the 2021-22 campaign.
With this win, they leave behind second-placed Hyderabad FC with a gap of 10 points, which is unassailable at this point in the season.
Noah Sadaoui, once again in the league, struck early to give the Goa the lead within the first five minutes. However, Greg Stewart balanced the scales soon just before the 20-minute mark.
Mumbai took the lead for the first time in the game after Jorge Pereyra Diaz netted his 10th of the season. Just like a ping-pong match, it was Goa's turn to level the score as Brandon Fernandes scored, before Stewart once again gave his side the lead with his second of the game.
In the second half, strikes from Lallianzuala Chhangte and substitute Vikram Partap Singh all but sealed the league trophy for Des Buckingham's men. Youngster Brison Fernandes of FC Goa did score after coming on, but it was too little too late.
Mumbai City just haven't won the league with two games to go. In this process, they have broken three records in the ISL.
For one, they have now scored the most goals by a team in a single season, having netted a massive 53 times so far in the 2022-23 season. They overtake FC Goa's 51-goal tally which they created back in the 2019-20 season.
Moreover, they take another record off of the 2019-20 FC Goa side which was of the best goal difference. The Guars had 23 in that season, whereas the Islanders already have a difference of 35 in this campaign.
They have also collected the most points done by an Indian Super League team in a single season. The shield holders Jamshedpur FC clinched 43 in the 2021-22 season. Mumbai have bettered that with their 46-point tally, which can very well surpass the 50-mark.
Now the question begs? Can Mumbai City repeat their 2020-21 success, and moreover, do it by remaining invincible?
