Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky shared his pleasure at securing a 2-0 victory against Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru during the Indian Super League (ISL) on Tuesday.

Lallianzuala Chhangte and Nikolaos Karelis were on target in the first half as the defending ISL Cup winners qualified for the ISL playoffs as the sixth team. The Islanders recorded their 10th clean sheet of the ongoing season with a clinical performance away from home, which is their joint-highest tally in any season in league history (also achieved in 2023-24 and 2020-21).

Mumbai City FC generated several clear-cut chances throughout the game, but could not extend their lead further in the second half. The Islanders showcased a spirited performance in a do-or-die fixture, resulting in a resilient victory in Bengaluru.

Kratky commended his players’ performance against the Blues, ensuring their spot in the top six. However, the Islanders head coach felt they could have finished in a higher position on the points table, given the potential his squad possesses.

“I am very happy we got a two-nil win away. But I told the boys after the game, you know, we are better than finishing sixth on the ladder. You know, we are better than that. So, we need to think about it and not come back to this because we want to finish much, much higher,” Kratky said in the post-match press conference.

“But again, I have to be grateful for a small thing. So I'm grateful we got over the line with the win and points. And we qualified for the playoffs. So, but again, it's another game. We know our powers. But again, it's (all about) attitude and effort, and the group is strong. So, again, it was a good finish for the season. But we're not very happy with where we finish,” he added.

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The Islanders have been at their very best against Bengaluru FC, as the visitors managed to thwart the Blues’ offensive threat, preventing them from taking a single shot on target. Gerard Zaragoza’s men attempted only four shots, which is their joint-second-lowest tally in any ISL game.

Kratky urged his players to believe in their style of play and continue working hard in line with their game plan to achieve a positive outcome in the upcoming playoff fixtures.

“Believe in the way we play. You know, to believe, to have energy, and to have an attitude. That's all. Because we know we can play football. We know we can pass the ball. We know certain areas where we can expose opposition. We know that,” he acknowledged.

“It's all about execution. Again, for me, it's all about attitude. So, the attitude was very good. It was perfect. And they get rewarded for it,” he continued.

Karelis found himself back in the lineup as well as on the scoresheet after missing the last few games due to an injury. The Greek forward scored from the spot and assisted Chhangte’s opener in the first half, playing a pivotal role in their 2-0 win against the Blues.

With his goal against Bengaluru FC, Nikolaos Karelis became the sixth Mumbai City FC player to register 10+ goals in an ISL season. Kratky heaped praise on Karelis’ performance and believed his inclusion could add a different dimension to their game, given his knack for scoring goals in successive games.

“The striker scored a goal. I'm very happy for him. You know, he came after a little bit of a long term to be away from the team. He started the game, and he scored a goal. You know, so I'm very happy for him,” Kratky stated.

“We are happy to have him. So, it's really good for us. It's a boost. We have a striker back. And we just need to keep him now. Keep working on him so he can play a little bit longer,” he concluded.