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The Indian Super League (ISL) finals for the 2023-24 season is set, and it comes as no surprise to see two powerhouses, Mohun Bagan SG and Mumbai City FC, face off for the title.
Just days ago, these two teams battled for the ISL Shield, drawing a crowd of 60,000 supporters cheering on the Green and Maroon. The Mariners certainly didn’t disappoint those supporters, clinching their first-ever ISL Shield while securing a spot in the AFC Champions League 2 for the next season.
Now, Mumbai will have eyes set on revenge at the same venue on May 4. Amidst the excitement for the finals, it’s only fair to reflect on the semi-finals, which were filled with everything, including red cards and last-minute drama in both the ties.
#1 Lallianzuala Chhangte rises to the occasion
After winning the ISL’s Player of the Year award last season, Chhangte didn’t quite meet those same standards at the beginning of this campaign. At one point, the likes of Bipin Singh and Vikram Pratap Singh were favored over him, a situation that was certainly unthinkable at the start of the season.
However, the 26-year-old has once again shown why he is highly rated. He entered the semi-finals in solid form, scoring four goals and recording two assists in six games. But against FC Goa, Chhangte took it a step further and carried Mumbai City to another final.
His heroics in the first leg were memorable, with two stoppage-time goals sealing one of the best comebacks in ISL history. In the second leg, he constantly posed problems and was ultimately rewarded with a goal that sealed the tie.
It’s clear that Chhangte has reached new levels, with improvements in the timing of his runs and his finishing ability evident over the last few months. This is good news for the national team as well, especially considering that they have two crucial qualifying games scheduled in the upcoming month.
#2 Mohun Bagan SG and Mumbai City FC do what they do best
We mentioned that it wasn’t surprising to see Mohun Bagan SG and Mumbai City FC reach the final, and it’s largely down to the standards and quality these two clubs operate at.
The tie was far from straightforward, with both teams trailing, yet their winning mentality prevailed. For Mumbai City, it surfaced in the 90th minute of the first leg, while for the Mariners, it emerged in front of their home crowd in the second leg.
Mumbai City turned the first leg around, and despite FC Goa’s dominance in the first match, they simply couldn’t match the Islanders the second time. Mumbai City had 20 shots on goal compared to Goa’s six and generated 2.27 xG (expected goals) against one of the league’s best defense.
Mohun Bagan faced a tougher challenge, but took an early lead to level the scores on aggregate. Just as it seemed the game was headed for extra time, Sahal Abdul Samad secured Bagan’s spot in another final with a stoppage-time goal.
While this time it was Sahal, late goals have been a recurring theme in their season’s success, highlighting that they cannot be discounted at any point in the game, let alone the stoppage time.
#3 There are still plenty of positives for Odisha FC and FC Goa
Odisha FC and FC Goa may have exited the competition without anything to show, but they certainly have many positives to draw from. For starters, both teams finished sixth and seventh, respectively, last season, so the leap from that to challenging the top two teams marks significant improvement.
Odisha also faced the most demanding schedules this season. They competed in the AFC Cup and reached the knockout stages, made it to the Super Cup finals, and reached the ISL semi-finals after a grueling 120-minute playoff clash against Kerala Blasters FC.
At times, their style of football under Lobera was highly attractive, as they showcased their ability to execute quick, short passes to bypass opponents. Their unbeaten home record throughout the season stands as another notable achievement.
FC Goa, meanwhile, appeared the closest placed team to contend for the title. Their lapse in concentration in the final six minutes of the first leg arguably hindered their chances of advancing to the finals, as they dominated Mumbai City at the Fatorda, something not many teams have been able to do.
