Super Cup 2025: Jamshedpur FC beats Mumbai City to face FC Goa in the final

Super Cup 2025: Jamshedpur FC beats Mumbai City to face FC Goa in the final

There was a point in the Super Cup 2025 semifinal between Jamshedpur FC and Mumbai City FC where everyone was expecting the game to go into penalties after a goalless draw.

But Rei Tachikawa had other plans. 

The Japanese midfielder produced a sublime strike in the dying minutes of the game at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday to hand JFC a 1-0 win and send it into its first-ever final.

This was the first meeting between the two sides in a cup competition, and with a spot in the final on the line, both teams had a cautious start to the game. However, as the game progressed, MCFC began to enjoy long spells with the ball while JFC resorted to catching its opponent on the counter.

MCFC head coach Petr Kratky’s decision to hand Brandon Fernandes and Jeremy Manzorro their first starts in this edition of the competition proved to be beneficial, with the latter sitting deep and providing the link with the defence, and Brandon supplying another option in attack.

The duo’s crossing skills were also on display, which almost bore fruit in the 24th minute. Brandon found Vikram on the left. The winger brought down the ball and played captain Lallianzuala Chhangte through into the box, whose pass into the box flashed across the face of the goal without any takers.

Despite all its possession, MCFC failed to register a shot in the first half, and it was JFC which came close to scoring through Jordan Murray in the 31st minute.

After MCFC goalkeeper T.P. Rehenesh punched away a corner from the left, JFC’s Tachikawa recycled the ball and put in a teasing cross into the six-yard box. Murray was well-placed and directed his header towards goal, where Rehenesh held his ground and made a good reaction save.

Both coaches made attacking substitutions after the break, with Krtaky introducing Jorge Ortiz Mendoza and Nikos Karelis, and Khalid Jamil bringing on Mohammed Sanan in hopes of finding a breakthrough.

Compared to the first half, JFC upped its performance and struck the frame of the goal twice in two minutes.

The first chance was created by Sanan on the hour mark, who got past Chhangte on the left side of the box before finding the feet of Stephen Eze inside the box. The Nigerian swiped at the ball with his left foot and struck the left post, much to the relief of Rehenesh.

The goalkeeper was called into action almost immediately after, as he tipped Pronay Halder’s thumping shot onto the crossbar to keep the score level.

At the other end, despite the fresh legs, MCFC failed to make a spark and continued to perform like it did in the first 45 minutes – extended periods with the ball without any end result.

With just three minutes left in regulation time and the match poised to go into penalties, it was JFC that finally found the breakthrough. 

Once again, it was Sanan who was at the heart of the attack, getting past Noufal on the left before delivering a cross into the box. Vikram headed the ball away only as far as Tachikawa outside the box, who sat the ball down before lashing a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner, past a diving Rehenesh.

In the end, the strike proved to be the difference as the Red Miners held onto their lead and banished the ghosts of the previous two editions, where it crashed out at the same stage.

FC Goa awaits Khalid Jamil’s men in the final on Saturday after it beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 earlier in the day, and JFC will eye to play spoilsport in what will be Manolo Marquez’s final game in charge of the Gaurs.