Al Ain (UAE), March 27: Mumbai City FC defeated hosts and current leaders of the UAE Pro League, Al Ain FC, 2-1 in a friendly game at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.
Ahmed Jahouh gave Mumbai City FC the lead through a 33rd-minute penalty. Fellow midfielder Apuia Ralte doubled the advantage for the Islanders in the 60th minute.
Al Ain’s Jonas pulled a goal back in the 79th minute but the Indian Super League side defended resolutely and held on to register a remarkable win.
Mumbai City FC, under head coach Des Buckingham, have set up a training camp in Al Forsan in Abu Dhabi, UAE where the Islanders are preparing for their historic participation in the group stage of the 2022 AFC Champions League scheduled to take place from April 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Before being crowned the ISL Champions in the 2020/21 season, the Islanders also finished top of the table and lifted the League Winners’ Shield, thus becoming only the second Indian club to secure participation in Asia’s biggest club football competition.
Their success in the 2022 season was not as good, however, as they finished fifth in the standings.
Drawn in Group B in the West Region of the 2022 AFC Champions League, Mumbai City FC will square off against the likes of Al Jazira (UAE), Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia), and Air Force Club (Iraq). (ANI)
