Mumbai City edges past Inter Kashi and into the semifinals
A second-half strike from Lallianzuala Chhangte was enough for Mumbai City FC to edge Inter Kashi 1-0 in their Super Cup 2025 quarterfinal clash at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday.
Unlike its previous match against Bengaluru FC, Kashi did not start well off the blocks and could not get the ball off MCFC, which enjoyed the lion's share of possession.
On the other hand, the Islanders looked promising down the wings with Vikram Partap Singh and Noufal P.N. making darting runs into the final third, but could not find a way past the resilient Kashi defence.
The most unexpected burst of action of the first half came from a swarm of bees that tormented the linesman and a couple of players on the far side, prompting the match to be halted for almost 15 minutes in the first half.
MCFC began the second half on a much-improved note, with Mehtab Singh striking the crossbar with a header eight minutes in.
Its constant pressure paid off in the 71st minute with Chhangte scoring from close range after latching onto a loose ball inside the box.
Kashi never really got back into the game as MCFC dominated proceedings by passing the ball around to tick away the minutes and secure the semifinal spot.
The result: Inter Kashi 0 lost to Mumbai City FC 1 (Lallianzuala Chhangte 71).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
Preparing for perfect challenges, Indian men's football team reaches Thailand
Pathum Thani (Thailand): After completing the Kolkata leg of their training camp, the Indian men's national team landed in Thailand just past midnight on Thursday. The Blue Tigers will play a friendly match against the hosts on June 4 ahead of the crucial AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Final Round match against Hong Kong on June 10. This is the third time the Indian senior men's team has visited the Land of Smiles in the past six years. India previously participated in the 2019 and 2023 King's Cup, winning the bronze medal in the former after beating Thailand 1-0, which was the last meeting between these two sides. While the King's Cups were held in Buriram and Chiang Mai respectively, the upcoming friendly will take place at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, a venue the Blue Tigers have never played in before. However, the Blue Colts have — as recently as 2023 in the AFC U17 Asian Cup. India drew 1-1 with Vietnam and lost 0-1 against Uzbekistan at the Thammasat Stadium. Midfielder Brandon Fernandes, who made his India debut at the 2019 King's Cup in Buriram against Curacao, is up for the challenge in Pathum Thani. He also spent the last pre-season with his club Mumbai City FC in Thailand, so it's safe to say, he is quite familiar with the country, its weather and playing conditions. "It's always different when you play away from home. We are familiar with Thailand because we played the King's Cup here. This one's going to be a different game — an international friendly. There will be more fans supporting the home team, and it's a challenge for us. We have to be ready for it and go there with a mindset to win the game," the 30-year-old told AIFF's official website. Team India's hotel is situated in the heart of Pathum Thani, approximately 50 kilometres north of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. Pathum Thani, one of Thailand's 76 provinces and part of the Bangkok metropolitan area, is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The Thammasat Stadium, part of the Thammasat University campus, was built for the 1998 Asian Games. The Indian women's team also played two matches in the group stage of that Asiad. Right now, the Blue Tigers' primary aim is to qualify for the Asian Cup in 2027, and Fernandes feels that the preparations for the Hong Kong game are on the right track. "Everybody is looking fit after the camp in Kolkata. We also had a couple of practice games. We are in much better shape as we head into the Thailand leg of the camp. We'll have a few more training sessions here, and we'll be ready for the game. "Thailand will be a perfect challenge for us in order to prepare for the Hong Kong game. We have to put our best foot forward and look for a positive result. Everybody has put in the work, those hard yards, and yes — with the way we train and are putting in the shifts, I think we will get a good result," Fernandes said.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
'Have Not Forgotten The Football That I Play': Akash Mishra Opens Up On Mental Demons During Rehab
Last Updated: Akash Mishra recounts the mental battles during rehab after undergoing ACL surgery during the last year, Mumbai City FC's help and his plans for the upcoming season. Akash Mishra was forced to the sidelines for over a year after injuring his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) during the 2023-24 Indian Super League (ISL) playoff in April. The Mumbai City FC defender underwent ACL surgery in May and then began his long and arduous journey to recovery. 'It was not easy," Akash told News18 in an exclusive interview, stressing the gruelling mental aspect post-surgery. 'The pain of surgery is not as difficult as the journey. You have to do the same thing again and again, and again. When you are done after the surgery, after one month, all you have to do is just some little exercise on the bed. You can't move anywhere. You can't do things on your own. To lie down on a bed for one month, do nothing, actually it's more difficult mentally." The 23-year-old was quick to thank Mumbai City FC and head coach Petr Kratky for helping him on his road to recovery. advetisement 'I got injured in the (ISL playoff) semi-final. We played the second leg, then we played the final. I was with them then even after the season got finished. The physio team was with me in Mumbai. I was there doing my rehab, because you need some kind of strength before the surgery. I came home for a month. I operated in Bombay and the team physio was there all the time with me. It was off-season, everybody wanted to go home. But the physio team cancelled their holidays and they were there with me in Bombay during my rehab. So yeah, I think without them it would have been more difficult," he said. 'I still remember when I after my injury, I texted our director (of football) Sujay Sharma saying that only one year gone and I'm injured. I'll be out for a whole season. I know there are lot of expectations even I also want to do more for the club. But then he texted me in a very nice way saying that, see, Akash, you are more important. And for us, you take how much time it requires, how much time it takes. We are never going to push you," Akash recalled. Akash revealed that he was with the club during his rehab over the last year, attending MCFC's home matches and seeing the team train, but coach assured him to take his time and recover well. 'After the final last year when I got injured, he told me that Akash, 'all these things happen' because he said that 'I've seen I've seen much more football than you'. So I know all these things happen and I know mentally you will be like, 'Oh no, I want to come back faster'," Akash said. Learning From Chhetri And Chhangte The left-back had moved to the Marina Arena just ahead of the 2023-24 season and has missed out on a season's action already. Asked what he intends to do differently, given the possibility of the injury recurring, he said, 'From my point of view, I'm doing everything. Since my ACL, I have become a more knowledgeable athlete. Before in the national team we used to listen to Sunil (Chhetri) bhai. Even in our club, of course, Lallianzuala Chhangte is an idol for everyone. We know Chhangte takes care of his body, how he what he eats, how he works out when he does all those things." Advertisement 'So since my injury, like I had a lot of time to reflect on myself, my body, my habits, which I could have changed before but I did not. Yes, I accept all those are my fault. But now I know what to eat, when to eat, when to sleep. I sleep early, I wake up early. So all those small things, I think they will improve me as a player and most important it will improve my body and I feel if my body is much better from what it was before. I hope, I don't get any injury," he added. Mumbai did not have an 'ideal' season after winning the ISL league shield or the ISL cup in the two previous seasons, scraping through to the knockouts after finishing sixth. Akash said it was 'tough to watch' from the outside. 'I know why fans are frustrated. When we started the season, there were so many new players coming in. I think we took time to adjust. How they say in football, sometimes it's unfair. I've seen all the players throughout the season, every match day -2 and match day -1, they were trying, they were pushing, they were motivating each other. But it's just that sometimes in football, you don't get the result that you want," he said. advetisement As for his plans for the upcoming season, Akash said: 'For me as an individual is to come back, start the pre-season from day one fully fit. And we as a team, of course, we just want to keep the last season in the past and start afresh. Even before leaving, we had team meetings. Everybody knows what we expect from the next season." No Monolo Quota Missing out on football has also meant others have taken his place in the national set-up, but with his old coach Manolo Marquez at the helm now, Akash is not looking that far ahead. 'There is no quota, like – Aakash Mishra is fit, let's bring him back – because personally I know coach Manolo. There is nothing like this. If I perform well, then only I'll get a call-up," he said. top videos View All 'But of course, as a former player, I want to do well and try to be back as soon as possible. To be honest, I have not forgotten the football that I play. But yes, because of one year's injury, things have changed." 'Even the football has gone a little ahead. But I keep watching all the games. I watch Indian football, I watch Premier League, I watch Champions League, I watch all the games. I try to analyse like what are the things that I can improve. And honestly, when I was watching Mumbai City play or even any other team play. I got I got more ideas that what all things I can do because if I put myself in that position, what should I? So I think all those things also will help me to improve my game once I'm back," he added. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : ACL Akash Mishra indian football isl mcfc mumbai city fc Location : Kolkata, India, India First Published: May 28, 2025, 07:57 IST News sports » football EXCLUSIVE | 'Have Not Forgotten The Football That I Play': Akash Mishra Opens Up On Mental Demons During Rehab
India Gazette
3 days ago
- India Gazette
Focused, motivated and ready, Lallianzuala Chhangte eyes Asian qualification
Kolkata (West Bengal)[India], May 27 (ANI): The AFC Asian Cup is the pinnacle of football in the world's biggest continent. As Asia's best turn up on the grand stage every four years, it presents an opportunity to rub shoulders with them and prove your mettle. Winger Lallianzuala Chhangte's first experience at the showpiece event was in Qatar last year. Despite things not going India's way as they suffered three defeats, Chhangte proclaimed how big of a learning curve the AFC Asian Cup was for him and the entire squad, and how the Blue Tigers are taking those learnings forward as they battle for qualification for the 2027 edition. 'We were in the same group as some of the best countries in Asia (Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria). Even though the last Asian Cup wasn't the best experience, individually, I learned a lot in terms of making the right decision at key moments. As a team, I believe that that setback shaped our character and built us into better players and better human beings as well. Now, we're really looking forward to the next challenge. Right now, our main focus is to qualify for the Asian Cup again,' Chhangte told India will play Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round on June 10 in Kowloon City. Before that, the Blue Tigers will play a preparatory friendly against Thailand on June 4 in Pathum Thani. 'The atmosphere in the camp is really positive right now. Everyone is focused, motivated, and ready to give their best every single day, especially after the setback against Bangladesh. Everyone wants to turn things around. Even the staff, physios, doctors, and masseurs have been so great with us, pushing us in every way they could. The camp has a lot of energy -- good and healthy competition, which is great,' Chhangte added. With 42 caps for the national team, the 27-year-old Chhangte is one of the most experienced players in the Indian squad. Among the current lot who are training in Kolkata, only Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan had made their international debut before the Mizo winger. He was just 18 when he donned the India shirt at the 2015 SAFF Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, and also scored a stunning brace against Nepal in his second game. 'Playing for the national team is the highest achievement for a football player. And when you wear the shirt, when you have the privilege to represent your country, I feel you have to give everything. That's what I want to do every time I come to the camp. It's an amazing feeling, and I don't take this for granted. I want to make each day count and give my best for my country,' said Chhangte. Nine years and numerous accolades later, Chhangte doesn't carry the weight of the nation's expectations, but rather embraces it. Goals in the final of the 2023 Intercontinental Cup and 2023 SAFF Championship, and against Qatar in the World Cup Qualifiers last year, are a testament to that. He is a two-time AIFF Men's Player of the Year (2022-23 and 2023-24) and has won two SAFF titles, a Tri-Nation Series, and the Intercontinental Cup for India. With his club, Mumbai City FC, he won the ISL Shield Cup and the Player of the League award. 'I feel that when the expectations are high, it shows that you are not a normal player. I'm not trying to be pompous, of course, but when you've been delivering for your club and country, the expectations get higher from the fans, the coach and your teammates as well. I like that, and it pushes me to work even harder. Every single day on and off the pitch, the way I look after myself, the way I work -- it's all about being an example, especially for the young players. 'We are privileged to have great senior players around us like Sandesh bhai and Chhetri bhai. Personally, I've learned a lot from them as well.' With 46 goals, Chhangte is the second-highest Indian scorer in ISL history behind Sunil Chhetri. In the current Blue Tigers squad too, apart from Chhetri, nobody has scored more goals for India than Chhangte (eight). Each of those goals has something in common -- the celebration. 'I'm a believer, and every time I score a goal, I look up to the sky and say, 'God, that was you'. Because sometimes when I score, I know where it came from. Sometimes it just pops into my leg, and I simply don't know where it came from. So I just point to the sky and thank God for being gracious, for his blessings, and for being by my side every time I step onto the pitch,' Chhangte shared. (ANI)
