ISL 2024-25: Mumbai City FC's performances in playoffs over years

Defending champions Mumbai City FC will be looking to win their third ISL title.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Mumbai City FC have once again qualified for the playoffs after securing a crucial 2-0 win over Bengaluru FC. Goals from Lallianzualla Chhangte and Nikolaos Karelis in the first half was enough for the Islanders to seal their 2024-25 playoff berth.

The club has a long history of making it to the later stages of the playoffs and has qualified for the knockouts five times since 2014. The latest qualification will be the club’s sixth attempt at capturing their third ISL title and defend their 2023-24 crown.

Let’s take a closer look at Mumbai City FC’s performances ahead of the ISL playoffs:

2016 ISL playoffs

The Islanders had a fantastic regular season in the 2016 ISL campaign, finishing first in the league table with 23 points in 14 games. Led by head coach Alexandre Guimarães, the Islanders looked like strong title contenders with their star-studded squad, featuring players like Diego Forlán, Matías Defederico, and Sunil Chhetri, and played some of the best football of the season.  

However, despite their marauding run during the regular season, their journey came to a disappointing end in the semi-finals against Atlético de Kolkata (now Mohun Bagan Super Giant). The Islanders struggled against ATK’s team and lost 3-2 on aggregate, with the damage being done in the first leg. Despite finishing at the top of the league, their campaign ended in heartbreak, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the ISL playoffs.

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2018/19 ISL playoffs

After missing out on the playoffs for two seasons after their first playoff qualification, the Islanders returned to the knockout stage during the 2018-19 season. Under the guidance of Jorge Costa, Mumbai finished third in the regular season standings and qualified for the semi-finals. The club were pitted against a strong FC Goa side, who finished above them in second in the ISL regular season.  

In the first leg of the semi-final which was played at home, Mumbai were hammered by FC Goa, who beat them 5-1. The first leg effectively put an end to the hopes of the Islanders reaching the final. Despite a 1-0 win in the second leg, the damage had already been done in the previous game. Once again, Mumbai fell short in the playoffs, failing to translate their regular-season success into a championship run.  

2020/21 ISL playoffs

The 2020-21 campaign turned out to be a huge catalystic point in Mumbai City FC’s history. With Sergio Lobera as head coach, Mumbai had assembled one of the strongest squads in ISL history. A squad which featured the likes of Hugo Boumous, Adam le Fondre, and Mourtada Fall, Mumbai had a competitive side to win all the silverware. The team dominated the regular season, finishing at the top of the standings and winning the League Winners’ Shield.  

In the semi-finals, they faced FC Goa, a team that had knocked them out in their last playoffs appearance during the 2018-19 season. However, this time, Mumbai showed resilience, and held Goa at bay for over 180 minutes, earning a goalless draw in both legs before winning 6-5 on penalties.  

The ISL final saw them clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, a rematch of their 2016 semi-final and a chance to cast out old demons. The team fought with everything they got and won by a score line of 2-1, thanks to a goal from Bipin Singh and Tiri (own goal), securing their first-ever ISL title. The historic win helped Mumbai City FC complete the domestic double, winning both the League Winners’ Shield and the ISL trophy, a rare feet in Indian football.  

2022/23 ISL playoffs

After their historic ISL title triumph in the 2020-21 campaign , Mumbai City FC continued to be a dominant force in the ISL. The 2022/23 season saw them once again finish first in the regular season standings, claiming the League Winners’ Shield. It marked their fourth playoffs appearance and second ISL shield in three years.

In the semi-finals, Mumbai faced Bengaluru FC. The first leg saw the Blues take a 1-0 lead back home, however the Islanders fought hard and secured a 2-1 win away from home to take the tie to a penalty shootout. Unfortunately for Mumbai, it was heartbreak in the end as they fell short, losing 9-8 on penalties and exiting yet another promising season without the ISL title.

Despite being the best team in the league during the regular season, they once again failed to translate that dominance into a championship. While the regular season performances continued to be promising, the playoff football was just a feat too far for the Islanders until the 2023-24 season.

2023/24 ISL playoffs

The 2023-24 season was another strong campaign for Mumbai City FC. While they didn’t manage to win the League Winner’s Shield, the Islanders finished second in the regular season, behind league leaders Mohun Bagan Super Giant. However this season, Mumbai appeared determined to make amends for their previous playoff disappointments.  

In the semi-finals, they once again faced FC Goa, the same team that had knocked them out in 2018/19 and whom they had defeated in 2020/21 enroute to their first ISL title. Mumbai proved themselves to be the better side in the first leg, winning 3-2 courtesy of Lallianzualla Chhangte’s brilliant brace. The second leg was further testament to the club’s determination as they won 2-0 in a clinical performance courtesy of goals from Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Lallianzualla Chhangte.

The victory over FC Goa set up yet another rematch against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the team that had deprived the Islanders from their third League Winner’s Shield. Mumbai put on a dominant display in the most important game of the season, securing a well-deserved 3-1 victory to claim their second ISL title.

The triumph was on the back of goals from Bipin Singh, Jakub Vojtus, and Jorge Pereyra Diaz, who played a key role in the impressive win. With their second ISL title, Mumbai cemented their status as one of the league’s most successful teams.  

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