ISL: Kotal’s momentary lapse hands Mumbai City a winning start

3 months ago 2
ARTICLE AD BOX
 Mumbai City players are implicit    the satellite  aft  Kotal’s ain  goal.

Mumbai City players are implicit the satellite aft Kotal’s ain goal. | Photo Credit: X@IndSuperLeague

It is not for thing that the legendary Johan Cruyff erstwhile preached: “Playing shot is elemental but playing elemental shot is difficult.”

Chennaiyin FC (CFC) learnt that acquisition the hard mode successful its Indian Super League (ISL) season-opener arsenic a momentary lapse of attraction led to a 0-1 decision to Mumbai City FC (MCFC) present connected Thursday. Pritam Kotal was the lone subordinate who rippled the close broadside of the nett astatine the Mumbai Football Arena, but it was his rivals who near the tract smiling.

Unfortunately for CFC’s co-captain, helium near the doorway wide unfastened for MCFC with his ain goal, connected a nighttime erstwhile the big struggled to unlock the visitor’s defence. Kotal would person been some hurting and fuming astatine the decision of the contest, considering that helium turned the shot successful disconnected a harmless transportation successful the 49th minute. Joni Kauko earned what was a fortunate assistance erstwhile the CFC centre-back, contempt being unchallenged successful the area, diverted it in.

While CFC threw everything it had to level the score, MCFC weathered a mini tempest astatine the extremity to footwear disconnected its run connected the champion imaginable note.

Overall, some teams were thing but clinical, and their rustiness was determination for everyone to spot successful the opening period. Misplaced passes, stop-start enactment and speculative drives from agelong ranges formed the halfway of the goalless archetypal half. In the end, it was a fatal mistake that decided the clash which yearned for attacking quality.

The result: Mumbai City FC 1 (Pritam Kotal 49-og) bt Chennaiyin FC 0.

Published - February 19, 2026 10:19 p.m. IST

Read Entire Article