Mumbai’s Cup of joy!

The victorious Mumbai City FC celebrate their win over MBSG at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Pic/PTI

MCFC coach Petr Kratky admits Indian Super League Cup win over Mohun Bagan in Kolkata comes as a relief in a season full of obstacles Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky praised the club for being on a path of progress after they were crowned Indian Super League (ISL) Cup winners following their 3-1 win over Mohun Bagan Super Giant in final at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday.

The Islanders capped off a tumultuous year on a high, a season where they faced departures of former tactician Des Buckingham and multiple key international stars such as Greg Stewart, Rostyn Griffiths, and Abdenasser El Khayati in December and January.

Kratky hails team

Kratky appreciated his squad for showing tremendous competitiveness in overcoming those issues after they sparked a comeback from being a goal down to win by a resounding margin at the home of the Mariners. "The club is on the right path. We have overcome a lot of obstacles. During the season, there were many hard times, but we were privileged to get the team to the final in front of a fantastic crowd.

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We lost on April 15, but got a second chance tonight and we took it with both hands. Sometimes in football, we get lows and highs, but it's important to handle it well. You don't get such opportunities every time. We are grateful. We need to continue the good work and be consistent all the time," a relieved Kratky said.

Striker Jason Cummings handed Mohun Bagan the lead. However, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh, and Jakub Vojtus netted a goal each to ensure that the Islanders didn't finish the season without a trophy. "I believe we were the better team even in the first half when they scored. They are a quality team, with Dimitrios Petratos threatening from distance and Jason Cummings being there to bury the goal.

A tight match

"Our approach here changed and the boys executed the plans very well. The match was very tight and we were behind in the first-half. We kept positivity and as soon as we scored the first goal, the path was laid for the comeback," said Kratky.

Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan head coach Antonio Lopez Habas said: "We were winning the match, but we were not superior to the opponent. Because I think that Mumbai City FC were better than us in the first 45 minutes and we took the lead, 1-0, but it was not the correct score. Congratulations to Mumbai City FC."

As per the new norm, Mohun Bagan are the ISL Champions for winning the league stages, whereas Mumbai City FC are the ISL Cup winners for triumphing in the playoffs.

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