February 8, Shillong (Meghalaya) [India]: As Mumbai City FC defeated NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Friday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, head coach Petr Kratky praised his side’s overall performance and said that his squad improved in the second half.

Shillong, in northeastern India, hosted the ISL for the first time, however the hosts had a lackluster showing as the Islanders defeated the Highlanders 2-0 to end an eight-game losing skid. According to an ISL news release, Kratky’s team secured three important points and advanced to fourth place with 31 points from 19 games thanks to goals from Bipin Singh and Lallianzuala Chhangte in each half.

Mumbai City has been the first club to achieve 100 victories in the ISL with this thrilling victory, proving the Islanders’ dominance in the league throughout the years.

Throughout the whole match, Kratky recognized the difficulties the NorthEast United FC team presented. Nonetheless, the head coach of Mumbai City FC lavished praise on his team for their response to such circumstance in the second half and expressed satisfaction with their accuracy in converting the opportunities in the opposing third.

“I thought the game was excellent to see. The opposition, in my opinion, came at us with great force. At the press conference after the game, he said, “They had a very good, strong first half, but we got better in the second half.”

“After the cross, we scored a fantastic first goal through Bipin Singh.” Hence, once again, a very polished effort today, and I’m thrilled for the squad,” he said.”

Kratky expressed his satisfaction with Mumbai City FC’s defense setup, which is anchored by Tiri and Mehtab Singh. The Czech-Australian head coach praised his team’s collective performance in stopping the Highlanders’ goal-scoring prodigy, Ajaraie, and limiting the offensive fluidity of the home team.

“It is very important not just to know how to score goals, but also to know how to defend your own goal, and we are proud of the team and the effort they put in today against a very good opposition,” Kratky said.

“We had a very tough game, and once again, the players and defenders on the field put up incredible effort to block shots and stop the league’s top scorer. I’m very delighted with that, and once again, we just need to keep working on it,” he said.

For the first time in the league’s history, Meghalaya hosted an ISL game with this encounter. For both teams, Shillong presented a unique obstacle because of its high elevation, cold weather, and foggy circumstances. When Krakty spoke about playing in Shillong, he was filled with nostalgia for his early years.

Kratky expressed his satisfaction at winning three vital points away from home, even though he thought his team did a great job adjusting to this new circumstance after they had struggled early in the match.

“Yes, it reminds me of my childhood when I was growing up,” he said.

“I think the weather is excellent for football. The ball moved pretty fast. As you saw in the first half, we had some difficulty with the circumstances because the ball was moving so quickly and everything was much, much faster. Therefore, you need to pass and touch people more carefully than normal,” he stated.

“But once again, we made adjustments at halftime, and things much improved. Therefore, I thought the conditions were excellent for football. The game was a great experience because of the amazing grass, the fans, and everything else,” Kratky said.