Mumbai City FC head coach Peter Reid during the post-match press-conference.Facing a must-win situation in their game against Atlético de Kolkata, Mumbai City responded in the best possible way. Their energy and drive was on show from the opening kickoff as they pressed Kolkata incessantly, never allowing their opponents to settle. And although they faced a setback with two injuries to key players, as well as conceding an equaliser which meant they had to chase the game again to restore their lead, Mumbai City’s spirit never wavered, and they got the winner their performance deserved, sealing a 2-1 victory to keep their semifinal hopes alive. Head coach Peter Reid was delighted with his charges, gushing about his team’s play. “It was a really good performance,” the English gaffer emphasised. “The players were absolutely brilliant.”“I thought Pavel Cmovs was great at the back, and Asif Kottayil in the middle of the park was absolutely outstanding,” Reid added. “I think it was a result we deserved, against a good side.”Star striker Nicolas Anelka made a return to the squad having missed recent matches due to injury, and his impact was felt in Mumbai’s attacking play. “It does help when you have the likes of Anelka,” Reid concurred. The Mumbai head coach was asked about his Frenchman’s change in position, after Anelka was seen playing deeper than usual in an effort to pick up the ball earlier on in attacking moves. “That was the plan for the first half, and then we were going to send him up front later on,” revealed Reid. “I wanted to play in a way where we kept possession and got him on the ball.”Anelka lasted 60 minutes before having to go off with a recurrence of his groin injury, although Reid said the striker had felt the injury at the end of the first half but insisted on playing on and contributing to the team cause. With captain Syed Nabi also forced off in the first half with an injury, the side’s shape and strategy was disrupted, which Reid felt made the performance and result even more commendable.“Due to injuries, we had to change the formation three or four times, and I thought the players adapted really well. All credit to them,” said the former Everton player.One of the changes due to injury actually helped Mumbai City get their opening goal. When Nabi went off, Johan Letzelter was moved from his midfield berth to right-back, and Tiago Ribeiro switched from left-back to right wing. Ribeiro’s run and cross from the right set up Lalrindika Ralte’s opener.“I thought it was a really good move,” Reid exulted. It was a great ball in behind the defence by Deepak Mandal, and Tiago made a great run. Then, he had the vision to pick a pass. And we all know Dika’s (Ralte’s) got a great left foot. He showed it with the finish, and with the free kick for Manuel Friedrich’s goal (which won the game).”Reid mentioned his Everton roots when it was pointed out to him that his switch back to wearing the blue Mumbai City cap on the touchline coincided with his team’s return to winning ways. “I should have been wearing it all this while! I was an Everton fan and player, and they wear blue. Obviously, Mumbai City wear blue. I shouldn’t have changed it! I’m sticking with it.”The win keeps Mumbai’s qualification hopes alive, although they need other results to go their way apart from getting the win against NorthEast United in their final game. “We will try and look after ourselves,” asserted the 58-year-old Reid.
