Mumbai City FC, League Shield winners of ISL 2022-23.
There was an air of inevitability to that notion ahead of the game, and the 5-3 scoreline would deceive those who had not watched the action at the Fatorda into believing Des Buckingham's side cantered to the result. It was anything but.
FC Goa made things fairly awkward for Mumbai right from the off. Anwar Ali launched a long ball from deep in the fifth minute, and there was fairly little danger on offer, but Noah Sadaoui raced past the defence, latched onto Ali's ball before sliding it past Phurba Lachenpa to set the cat firmly amongst the pigeons. Hyderabad had hope, especially with Mumbai's defence appearing uncharacteristically porous.
FT: FCG 3⃣-5⃣ MCFC
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- Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) February 11, 2023
Yet, this is Mumbai, and their firepower is simply way too much for most of the league. Ali's eventful match continued, conceding a foul in Greg Stewart's range. It proved to be as such, with Dheeraj Singh in the goal well beaten as the Scot curled one into the net in the 18th minute with the wall little more than mute bystanders. Mumbai's relentless juggernaut going forward appeared to have ended the game as a contest in the 40th minute, when Stewart's nutmeg+pass to Chhangte bursting down the right ended in another delicious low cross to Jorge Pereyra Diaz, tapping it home to make it 2-1 in the 40th minute to the champions-elect.
Goa, however, were not done, with their playoff spot also on the line. In keeping with the end-to-end nature of the game, Sadaoui found Brandon Fernandez with a delicious chip down the middle, and it was 2-2 seconds later as Carlos Pena's no.10 equalised. It also was Goa's 300th goal in the Indian Super League, perhaps a momentous one that could stop Mumbai in their tracks.
Surely this would be a test of Mumbai's credentials? Surely they would wilt after their euphoria of two minutes ago was ended? Surely their air of invincibility would die?
Not if you've been paying attention. This is Mumbai. This is inevitable.
Greg Stewart is on another plane of existence and as he stepped up for another free-kick. He curled a low shot past the wall into the bottom corner, with Dheeraj -- and the rest of the league -- only able to flounder in defeated despair. 3-2 at half-time, the champions elect barely ruffled despite Pena's best efforts.
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Buckingham saw his side slow things down in the second half, going down a gear while holding off Goa like an adult fending off a child's swipes. It was a childlike swipe with the arm in the penalty box from Anwar Ali that offered Mumbai certainty, not that they needed it, with the referee pointing to the spot. Lallianzuala Chhangte stepped up, and with the air of a man who cannot be stopped, Chhangte 2.0 slammed it past Dheeraj to make it 4-2 in the 71st minute.
The league was theirs, the field was theirs as Mumbai rang in the changes and passed it around with aplomb. Goa had given up the ghost, all that was needed was the cherry on top of the icing. It came via Vikram Pratap Singh who made it 5-2 in the 77th minute. Brison Fernandes made it 5-3 in keeping with the story of the game, but the visitors were already dreaming of their celebrations.
They didn't have to wait long, six minutes and injury time later, the final whistle blew. The earliest of any winner, the largest points total ever, the best goal difference (so far) ever, and most goals scored ever.
Records, theirs. Celebrations, theirs. Silverware, theirs.