Mumbai FC have emerged the giant-killers and dark horses of the 9th Hero I-League. They are along with holders Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are the only unbeaten teams in the I-League after four rounds. Above all, they ended the 16-match unbeaten streak of Bengaluru FC with an emphatic 2-0 home win earlier this week. Bengaluru had not lost since their 1-4 defeat to Mohun Bagan in last season’s I-League on February 20, 2015.
Unfancied Mumbai FC are third in the league table on eight points from four matches. Also, Khalid Jameel in his fourth successive season as Mumbai FC’s coach has acquired a reputation of managing a low budget team. They have set a new trend in hiring overseas players, as they are first I-League club to have three Asian players in their squad.
These are 27-year-old striker Ryuki Kozawa (Japan), 32-year-old midfielder Taisuke Matsugae (Japan) and 29-year-old defender Minchol Son (North Korea). The only non-Asian is roving Liberian forward Eric Brown. Son has played in Japan, knows the Japanese language and so forms a harmonious unit with Kozawa and Matsugae.
Except for newcomer Kozawa the other three recruits have played for Indian clubs in the recent past and are experienced campaigners. Rather than splurge on one big name or an able bodied striker from an African nation, Jameel has wisely opted for lesser expensive foreign players who are proven performers.
Jameel has also wisely recruited ageing but still effective midfielder Arata Izumi and striker Sushil Kumar Singh. Other I-League clubs did not want either Arata or Sushil but they have got a new lease of life in Mumbai FC as the coach has handled his limited resources well.
Sushil’s mobility has decreased so Jameel uses him as a target man and a cool finisher with Kozawa playing as a roving striker. Similarly Matsugae and young Jayesh Rane provide pace and work rate in midfield allowing Arata to function as a playmaker.
Mumbai FC grind out results by defending in depth and launching quick counter-attacks. They are not pleasant to watch but are very effective. Jameel is to be complimented for choosing players who fit into his game plan. Mumbai FC could finish in the top-half of the I-League, if they can win away matches.
Meanwhile due to India’s World Cup qualifiers on March 24 and 29, the I-League will be suspended for three weeks from March 12 till April 1. Hence Mohun Bagan’s request for postponement of their 5th round match against DSK Shivajians on January 30 was rejected.
Bagan, the first Indian club to win their opening match in the Asian Champions League qualifiers, wanted more time to adapt to China’s harsh winter for their second round tie vs Shandong Luneng Taishan on February 2. They will now have to travel by bus from Pune after their I-League match and board a flight to Beijing from Mumbai on Sunday.
They will reach their destination only in the evening. So they will have just one day to adapt. A little adjustment of the I-League schedule could have helped Bagan’s cause.
