The scene was set for a spectacular evening of lung busting, crowd cheering, drum rolling and a passionate competitive Mumbai Football League Division One Championship Final as Mumbai Strikers snatched the Championship Trophy by beating an out of sorts Millat FC by a score of 4-1 at the St. Xavier’s Stadium, Parel on 18^th April 2015.

The Mumbai Strikers (MS) citadel stepped on the field with all the gusto and conviction needed to win its first final appearance since its inception. From the very first minute of the match, MS players showed intent and followed the game plan they worked on. The first breakthrough for MS came in the 16th minute as its young energetic midfielder Abhijit Shetty provided the sublime through pass to the in-form striker Akshay Devadiga who managed to round the charging keeper with exquisite ball touches and placing it in an open goal just as it seemed the ball would run out for a goal kick. There was an explosion of emotions as the ball rolled in and the score read 1-0 to Mumbai Strikers. Within minutes of the 1^st goal, MS struck again through Ravish D’souza’s 16^th goal of the season via a header from a pinpoint Rayan Thomas corner kick. The score read 2-0 and the sound of drum rolls engulfed the St. Xavier’s Stadium. A stunned Millat FC tried to get a goal back by threading some neat passes in the midfield but couldn’t get past the MS Defence as they stood tall between the ball and the goal intercepting and reading every Millat move thrown at them. The first half ended 2-0 in favour of MS.

The Second half started with both teams trying to get a hold of the ball. MS got an early goal just as Millat FC were starting to get back in the game when Sunil Peddamalli of Mumbai Strikers managed to catch the Millat defence napping by threading a neat pass to Ravish D in between the Millat Centre Back and Left Back. Ravish D ran on to the ball, nutmegged the Millat Centre back, and placed the ball to the lower right corner of the goal by beating the on rushing Millat Goal Keeper. It was Ravish’s seventeenth goal of the season and required celebrating as he ran across the MS fans stand displaying his jersey no. 17. The crowd cheered the team on as they celebrated a 3-0 lead. The 3^rd goal seemed to have crushed the hopes of Millat FC to get back in the game. MS tried to hang on to the ball by passing it more than they normally do, keeping possession and frustrating their opponents. At about 10 minutes through the second half, MS got its 4^th goal as Abhijit Shetty latched on to a Akshay D pass, feinted a Millat defender and took a low snapshot much to the goal keeper’s surprise. The ball ended hitting the net as the Millat Keeper was beaten at the first post. It was 4-0 and the MS players could smell victory. Millat FC did manage to get a goal back as the tired MS defense wall was breached for once. The Score stood 4-1 in favour of Mumbai Strikers at the final whistle. The new MFL Division One Champions 2014-15 were crowned as Mumbai Strikers Captain Karan Punjwani lifted the trophy.

Mumbai Strikers Sports Club thanks all its players, management, supporters, well wishers and Sponsors for unrelenting and unconditional support down the years. Congratulations and Cheers to all.