Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky commended his players’ second-half turnaround as they salvaged a point against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Mumbai Football Arena in Saturday’s opener.

Jamie Maclaren scored the opener in the first half, giving the visitors a flying start to the game. Dimitri Petratos netted his second goal in as many games, as he doubled the lead for the visitors, capitalizing on Phurba Lachenpa’s rebound clearance.

Despite going 0-2 down in the opening half, the Islanders demonstrated a valiant effort in the second half and hit back with two goals to salvage a point from this fixture.

Jon Toral netted his first ISL goal to bring his side back into the game. Despite the Islanders being down to ten men after Vikram Partap Singh’s red card, Nathan Rodrigues scored the equalizer in the dying minutes of the second half, stretching their unbeaten run against the Mariners to three games at the Mumbai Football Arena. Following this draw, Kratky’s men climbed up to the fifth spot and are now just one point away from qualifying for the playoffs.

The Mumbai City FC head coach highlighted his players’ fighting spirit and resilient character behind securing a crucial point against the League Shield winners.

“The most important thing is the reaction of the team, and we reacted very well. So, we make a strategy when we have one man down, and they (the players) stick to it, and they work very hard. They worked extremely hard,” Kratky said in the post-match press conference.

“We just have to keep moving forward. You know, don't get stuck on it and find excuses. We need to find solutions, and we did that with the 10 men today,” he added.

Mumbai City FC, who played out a 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the reverse fixture in Kolkata and held the Mariners to another 2-2 draw, this time in Mumbai. Despite trailing by two goals at half-time, the Islanders fought back in the second half as they scored twice, and both goals came from set-pieces.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant have kept the most clean sheets this season and also conceded a least of 16 goals in the ongoing season. Kratky acknowledged the Mariners’ resolute defensive unit throughout the season but also commended his teams, who scored a total of four goals in both legs.

“We knew Mohun Bagan Super Giant had 14 clean sheets for a reason. They are very good at defending. They are very effective in the final third. They have very good strikers. You can see, you give them one chance, they score a goal. That's why they are powerful. We have to focus on how we can beat that,” he stated.

“We played two games against them. We scored four goals against a very good defending team. We have to build on that. Positivity thinking. We can score goals. Again, today, set pieces helped us a lot to get over the line with the goals. It's a complete performance. Especially the second half for a team with ten men. I'm very, very happy about it,” he continued.

Kratky shared his delight at his squad’s collective efforts and unwavering determination to fight tooth and nail against the League Champions as the game ended on level terms. The head coach thanked the supporters for their ceaseless support from the stands, as he believed they played a pivotal role in boosting the players’ confidence in the second half.

“This is Mumbai City FC. We're losing 2-0, but they (fans) push us. They push us today, and thanks to them, they give us the fuel to come back. So, thank you very much to those who came and who supported. And we feel that, the boys feel that,” Kratky opined.

“Especially when we came 2-1, you know, they helped us to score another one. So this is what we're talking about: the fans and helping the team and working together. It was fantastic, and thanks to everyone who came,” he further added.

Despite the Islanders not enjoying productive results, especially at home in comparison with previous seasons, Kratky’s men showcased a commendable fight-back in their final home game of the season to salvage a point against a formidable side like Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Kratky revealed that they wanted to secure all three points while playing at home one last time for the 2024-25 season but shared his delight with how his players stood against all the obstacles to add a significant point to their tally.

“First of all, we wanted to win the last game of the season. We wanted to win at home in front of our fans. But if you consider the circumstances of what's going on on the pitch, I'm very happy. From 2-0 down, with ten men, we fight, and we come back,” he remarked.

“I'm satisfied with the point. But again, I want to win. But if you look at how the games go, I think the point is very good for us,” Kratky signed off.

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Mohun Bagan Super GiantMumbai City FC2024-2025