Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham was delighted after the club confirmed their League Shield triumph. The Islanders defeated FC Goa by 5-3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa on Saturday to confirm their top spot in the league stage and with it, the League Shield trophy.
Des Buckingham’s team has been at its best in the ongoing ninth edition of the league with 14 wins in 18 matches. In fact, they are so far unbeaten in the league stage and they secured 46 points in the tournament. The English manager stated it is a huge achievement after leading the team to League Shield win.
The Islanders have been dominant throughout the tournament as they have broken the records for most goals scored and most points accumulated in a single Hero ISL season.
“To look back at the 18 games and see the football that we have played, the goals we have scored, the points we have accumulated, the records we have broken and to come here and win the Shield, it’s a huge achievement for everyone involved in the football club be it the players, the staff and the fans,” he said during the post-match press conference.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have done in these 18 games but we still have two very important games left and we want to finish the season strongly,” he added.
Buckingham was a bit emotional and gave credit to the collective effort of the support staff and the players for the team’s success in the ongoing season.
“When you are away from family working on a project and you see people buy into it and see it come to fruition, you see the support in the backend that I’ve had personally and what this group has had which has allowed us to showcase what we have done and what we have built caught me at full time because it’s a big moment,” Buckingham said.
“I can’t explain the emotion which probably sums it up. It just shows the feeling of thankfulness that I have for everyone involved for what we have been able to achieve,” he added.
Mumbai scored five goals against the Gaurs but also conceded three goals. Buckingham added that he wants the club to play in an aggressive manner.
“The match sums up the way you want to play. Obviously, you never want to concede three goals but I spoke about bringing in an attacking brand of football to this club and building this style which was on show tonight in parts against a very strong FC Goa side who were fighting for points for the playoff spots. They didn’t make it easy for us. But we found a different way to win the game,” the 38-year-old said analyzing the game.
Mumbai City FC will next face Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru on Wednesday.
