Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS): Mumbai City FC kick off their league title defence and have named a 27-member squad to represent the Islanders in the 2023-24 Indian Super League.
Des Buckingham’s side set the stage ablaze last season, breaking as many as 17 all-time ISL records, en route to winning the League Winners’ Shield in 18 games, with two rounds to spare. The Islanders will come in to the new ISL campaign aiming to do what no other club has done before – successfully defend the ISL League Winners Shield.
Last season’s ISL Player of the Season and AIFF Men’s Player of the Year, Lallianzuala Chhangte, will aim to repeat his exploits as he features in the Islanders’ squad alongside the likes of Jorge Pereyra Díaz, Bipin Singh and Vikram Partap Singh in attack. Having won the ISL Shield for two seasons in a row, Greg Stewart will aim to add a third consecutive league title to his rich list of accolades.
The likes of Phurba Lachenpa, Rahul Bheke, Rostyn Griffiths, Mehtab Singh and Apuia, who form the core of Des Buckingham’s Mumbai City side, will be supported by a mix of youth and experience in Mohammad Nawaz, Sanjeev Stalin, Halen Nongtdu, Vinit Rai, Valpuia, Gurkirat Singh, Ayush Chhikara and others.
Eight new Islanders – Akash Mishra, Tiri, Yoëll van Nieff, Abdenasser El Khayati, Jayesh Rane, Seilenthang Lotjem, Franklin Nazareth and Nathan Rodrigues - joined the club over the summer and will all feature in their debut ISL campaign with Mumbai City FC.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Phurba Lachenpa, Mohammad Nawaz, Bhaskar Roy, Ahan Prakash
Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Valpuia, Tiri, Mehtab Singh, Sanjeev Stalin, Rostyn Griffiths, Nathan Rodrigues, Akash Mishra, Halen Nongtdu
Midfielders: Yoëll van Nieff, Vinit Rai, Jayesh Rane, Apuia Ralte, Franklin Nazareth
Forwards: Vikram Partap Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Gurkirat Singh, Seilenthang Lotjem, Abdenasser El Khayati, Greg Stewart, Ayush Chhikara, Bipin Singh, Jorge Pereryra Diaz