Jamshedpur FC galloped into the history books with a second-half winner by Ritwik Das to defeat ATK Mohun Bagan by a 1-0 margin and bag the League Shield for the first time, creating history in the Hero Indian Super League 2021-22 at PJN Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, on Monday evening.
The Men of Steel needed to draw to finish on top of the table and clinch the League Shield, and Jamshedpur rode Ritwik's goal in the 56th minute to ensure they finish the season on a high, capping off a stellar campaign under Owen Coyle. They finished with 43 points from 20 games, winning 13 games. ATKMB ended their league engagements having 37 in their kitty from 20 matches.
Jamshedpur will take on Kerala Blasters FC on March 11 in the first semi-final while ATKMB will square off with Hyderabad FC the next day in the second last-four clash. Jamshedpur will get richer by Rs 3.5 crore, the prize money for the League Shield.
Monday ngiht gave way to a new dawn for football in the steel city, boasting of one of India's biggest academies, Tata Football Academy which has produced a plethora of footballers over the years.
Jamshedpur's renaissance under Owen began last year when they finished a credible sixth, hinting at a playing style under the reputed English tactician and also a roadmap for the future. This year, Stewart was exceptional for Jamshedpur and so was Daniel Chima Chukwu whose move to the club in January proved to be a masterstroke.
It remains to be seen whether the newly-crowned League Shield winners go on to win the Hero ISL or not but it has already been an exceptional season for them.
" I am absolutely delighted for everyone in the club, our supporters, our owners," said Jamshedpur head coach Owen Coyle. "Everybody cares so much about Jamshedpur... obviously, as a head coach, coaches and players come and go but it's important that when you're at a club that you give everything you can for them, which I've done.
"I've also loved the two years working with everybody here. And it's great to get the prize at the end because we deserved it after the work we have done. Well, actually we had to win 10 of our last 11 games. And we've actually been doing well up to that point. We had got 10 points from nine games and I thought, yeah, we can finish in the top four. And then obviously, we changed things up in January, brought Daniel and freshen things up and got them all together."
ATK Mohun Bagan needed to win by a victory margin of 2 to leapfrog Jamshedpur and second-placed Hyderabad FC, but it was not to be as Ritwik continued his purple patch with a sumptuous strike after Greg Stewart did the spadework.
With stakes so high, it was expected to be a cagey affair and so it was with both teams eager to edge out each other. The Mariners enjoyed more of the ball in the initial exchanges, coming closest to breaking the deadlock when a wild attempt from Tiri went wide. The busiest person on the field was the referee as he reached to his pocket thrice, flashing yellow cards in the first-half, all to Jamshedpur players.
After change of ends, Stewart started bossing proceedings with his mazy runs and incisive passing, the industry bearing fruit four minutes to the hour mark when the Scotsman evaded two ATKMB shirts to cut into his right and beat his marker. Stewart went for goal himself but the ball came off an ATKMB player and fell to Ritwik who shot first time as the ball went past Amrinder Singh and into the back of the net.
ATKMB tried hard to forge a comeback but the Red Miners held firm and eventually bagged three points, becoming the first side in the history of Hero ISL to register wins in a row.
"I think that we have the best defensive record. So, at both ends, we have shown to be the top team, and we've been the best team in the country," noted Coyle. "Fortythree points is another record as well. It's incredible. So, all credit to the players, they worked their socks off, particularly the Indian players when I see the improvement. And then, of course, it gives you a source of satisfaction. I'm delighted for everyone, very pleased, and very tired," he said.
On his thoughts about their next move, Owen said: "I said, 'enjoy tonight'. Then obviously it's about recovery tomorrow. We've had to play three games in six days, the boys are on their feet but we know how to get them back on and get them ready for big games. There's not a lot between the teams in the semi-finals. You know, on any given day, I would suggest that anybody can win. They really can. But what we've shown over 20 league games is that we're the best team in the country. Twenty games don't lie and show the best teams and that's been over that period. When you come into a top competition, the playoffs are then of course those games are fraught with danger. So, we have to make sure we're ready for it."
