Player ratings for Mumbai City FC from their clinical victory over FC Goa in the second leg of ISL 2023-24 semifinal
Building on the momentum from their historic comeback in the first leg of the ISL 2023-24 semifinal against FC Goa, Petr Kratky's Mumbai City FC delivered an all-round performance on Monday to register a 2-0 victory on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
The Gaurs, still recovering from the heartbreak of letting a two-goal lead slip in the first leg, had an underwhelming start to the night, lacking any cutting-edge in the final third. The Islanders showed more intent and looked hungrier right from the get-go.
However, it wasn't until the 63rd minute that the Petr Kratky-coached outfit secured the lead through Jorge Pereyra Diaz when the Argentine striker clattered the ball into the net from a corner situation. The Gaurs now had the impetus to push forward, but in turn, made them vulnerable on the back. Mumbai caught them on the break as Lallianzuala Chhangte raced down the pitch, past the Goan defenders to make it 2-0 on the night.
The final whistle brought an end to Goa's season while the Islanders secured a berth in the finale of ISL 2023-24 where they will meet their old foes Mohun Bagan SG.
Player ratings for Mumbai City FC
Phurba Lachenpa (GK) [7.0]
The shot-stopper had a neat outing with his defense to keep matters simple in front of him.
Rahul Bheke [8.5]
The veteran full-back had a sturdy performance right from the first whistle, constantly keeping the wily Noah Sadaoui at bay. Crunching tackles, perfectly-timed interceptions, and successful duels - Rahul Bheke delivered a defensive masterclass. He also had a crucial role in Mumbai's opening goal from the corner.
Tiri [8.0]
The Spaniard was an absolute rock at the back and led with great panache. With eight clearances, two tackles, and 87 percent pass completion, he was the general of Mumbai's backline.
Thaer Krouma [8.0]
Like Tiri, the Syrian center-back put in an incredible shift making the MCFC backline impenetrable for the Gaurs.
Mehtab Singh [7.0]
The full-back would've been higher up the rankings if not for the glorious opportunity he squandered in the second half. Defensively, he looked resolute and packed a punch going forward.
Apuia [7.5]
Apuia kept matters simple in the middle of the park recycling possession and also highlighted his physicality going into duels.
Yoell van Nieff [8.0]
The Dutch creator-in-chief ran ragged throughout the 90 minutes and made the Mumbai midfield flow with his sleek passing. Registering six key passes, Yoell van Nieff at the same time had three tackles to keep his backline air-tight.
Jayesh Rane [6.5]
Deservedly getting the start after his heroics in the first leg, Jayesh Rane was industrious throughout the night. But he lacked composure on the ball on a couple of occasions, and couldn't create a similar impact.
Lallianzuala Chhangte [8.5]
The 26-year-old winger was at the forefront of the Islanders' attacking endeavors. Lallianzuala Chhangte popped into threatening areas and broke the deadlock on the night in the first half, but his effort struck the post. However, his incessant efforts to breach the Goan backline, ultimately paid dividends in the 83rd minute when he darted through the opposition defense before placing the ball past Dheeraj Singh.
The pace, the trickery, and the adrenaline-fueled efforts defined his efforts on the night.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz [8.5]
Despite playing further up the pitch, the 33-year-old forward was an absolute metronome connecting the midfield and the attackers on the break. Jorge Pereyra Diaz almost racked up an assist, when Chhangte's effort of the Argentine's through ball kissed the post and went wide.
In the second half, a gilt-edge opportunity fell Diaz's way on the rebound, however, he made amends moments later when he clattered the ball home.
Vikram Pratap Singh [7.5]
The in-form winger had another impactful outing with his efforts up and down the left flank. He earned an assist for Chhangte's goal, however, it didn't need much assistance.
SUBSTITUTES
Jakub Vojtus [6.0]
The forward wasn't at his sharpest and didn't have much-attacking duties as Mumbai had by then gone into a defense-first approach.
Bipin Singh [6.0]
The winger hardly saw the face of the ball after coming on.
Alberto Noguera [7.0]
The Spaniard returned to the fray after a while and looked close to his best once again. He looked rugged going into duels and deft with his passing.
Valpuia [NA]
The young full-back wasn't on the pitch long enough to create an impact.