The Islanders returned to action with a comfortable victory in the 2023/24 season opener. Mumbai City will take on Jamshedpur FC in the second match of Durand Cup 2023 at VYBK, Kolkata to cement their place at the top of Group B, kicking off at 6pm BIST.
Mumbai City kick off their quest for the 2023 Durand Cup after finishing runners-up last year. First-half goals from Rostyn Griffiths, Jorge Pereyra Díaz and Lallianzuala Chhangte gave the Islanders The Reds took an unassailable lead in just 35 minutes before a consolation goal from David Lalhlansanga gave the hosts a 3-1 win.
Des Buckingham was pleased with the team’s all-round performance in the opening game, saying: “I’m very happy with our first game of the season against a strong Mohammed team. To be able to kick us out from the start The performance in the first half was very pleasing. The focus now is to make sure we can do that in 90 minutes.”
With the 2023-24 AFC Champions League approaching, the Islanders have undergone intensive pre-season training in Bangkok. Des Buckingham believes that the Durand Cup will become an important platform to prepare for Asia’s top club competitions. He said: “As we have arranged, we are trying to get this team ready for the first game of the season, which for us will be the AFC Champions League, and making sure all our players are able to play. “The quality of the players is exactly what we need to challenge the best players in Asia. “
With the Islanders on track for a record-breaking ISL title in 2022-23, Des believes the Durand Cup can help his team build another important foundation ahead of the new season. “We brought our first team here first to respect the competition and try to be successful, but we knew it was the only competitive game we could play before the season started. What this competition brought us last year The good thing is that it gives us a good start to the normal ISL season and allows us to be successful. This year we aim to take it to the next level as our first game will be the AFC Champions League. So, We need to make sure we are fully prepared (with these games).”
Summer signing Akash Mishra entered the starting lineup, while Dutchman Yoëll van Nieff made his Islanders debut in the second half, and Des Buckingham (Des Buckingham) is pleased with the performances he has seen from his new recruits. “I’m really happy that they’re on board. We want to do well domestically again, but we still have the Champions League. Akash fits in here seamlessly – you can barely recognize him as a new player “The environment allows him to adapt quickly and as we’ve seen in training and this game, the quality he brings will allow us to develop our game,” Buckingham said.
He added: “You also look at Joel, starting from the bench – the idea is to start Apua, Greg and Alberto and let’s move on and have Joel on the bench first. Watch and get a first taste of India.” Football. He has some great footballing abilities. It’s about getting him playing time, but throwing everything at him from the start might (probably) be too much. Now he has to adapt, take the time to adapt and integrate with the midfield to complement the midfield quality we want. So I’m really looking forward to what he can bring us, certainly in the next two games. “
Akash Mishra, who just made his debut, was delighted to get his first game time for the Islanders, saying: “Playing for Mumbai City has been a great experience, starting the season with a win. It’s really a bonus for me and the team. As a defender, clean sheets are important to me and to the team. We’re not happy with the goals we conceded, but we’ll try to move forward.”
With Jamshedpur FC approaching the second match of Group B, Des Buckingham expects another tough test for the team’s progress to the knockout rounds. “We want to get the same preparation and hopefully better performances. It’s going to be a good balance to use these games to get players minutes while giving the young players a chance to show what they can do. We’ve seen the young players How the players perform in the Super Bowl and the games we play in – this one, the ISL, the AFC Champions League, maybe the Confederations Cup – the depth of the team is going to matter. So we’re hoping for top 13- 14 players are ready, but we also need to make sure our young players have the opportunity to contribute as well.”
where to watch
The match will kick off at 6:00pm CST on August 8, 2023 and will be televised on Sony Sports 2, Sony LIV and Jio TV. For our global fans, you can follow all the action live on our official Twitter account – @MumbaiCityFC.
