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Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky expressed his delight as his team returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Hyderabad FC at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday.
The hosts were relentless from the outset, applying pressure on the visitors right from the first whistle. Their persistence paid off in the 29th minute when Mehtab Singh powered in a header to secure the lead. Mumbai City FC defended resolutely to maintain their advantage, earning all three points and keeping a clean sheet--their second of the season and their first at home against Hyderabad FC. "We reacted very well. We came together, regrouped, and showed it in the first half. For me, the first half was very good. We won 1-0, but later, when substitutions came, you could see we played to win. It wasn't necessarily the football we all wanted to see, but we played to win," Kratky said during the post-match press conference, as quoted by ISL. Kratky praised his players for their resilience and quick recovery following a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Punjab FC in the previous matchweek. He also emphasised the importance of building on this victory. With their third win of the season, the Islanders now have 13 points from nine games. "I'm very proud of the boys because it's not easy to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat in just four days. Hyderabad FC are a strong team, improving with every match, and capable of beating anyone, so it wasn't an easy task. But this win isn't enough--we need to carry this momentum into the upcoming games and fight for more points," the head coach stated. However, the victory was overshadowed by growing injury concerns. Midfielders Yoell van Nieff and Jeremy Manzorro were already sidelined, while Jon Toral and Sahil Panwar were forced off during the match, adding to the team's woes. "Injuries are part of football. But as I've said, there are players waiting for their chance, and they're good enough to step up. That's why I'm here--to prepare them. Sometimes you have to wait for opportunities, and we'll approach this situation the same way. We'll get the boys ready," he added. (ANI)
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