Mumbai or Odisha: ISL 2024-25 Playoff Scenario Ahead of Season Finale
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Five Teams Secure ISL Playoff Spots
What a season it has been, and it’s not over yet! The 2024-25 Indian Super League campaign was one that will live long in the memory, as we saw Mohun Bagan Super Giant make history by becoming the first team ever to defend the coveted League Winners' Shield. The Mariners were a cut above the rest this term and wrapped up the title with two games to spare following a 1-0 victory over Odisha on February 23, thanks to a dramatic late winner by Dimitri Petratos.
The champs will be presented with the League Winners' Shield on Saturday evening at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium when they face runners-up Goa in their final match of the season. The Gaurs have also locked in their postseason place and have been the only side to pose any real challenge to the Mariners this term. If they win this match, they will end the campaign two points behind the Super Giants and six ahead of their 45-point tally from last season.
Behind the top two, Bengaluru and Jamshedpur punched their tickets to the playoffs by reaching the 38-point mark late last month, and NorthEast United’s fate was decided last week when they secured a 3-0 victory on the road against Chennaiyin. The final playoff spot has now come down to two teams - Odisha and Mumbai City - who are currently locked level on 33 points and in sixth and seventh place in the standings, respectively.
Don’t forget to check out our experts’ Indian Super League predictions for the remainder of the matches left this season!
Can The Islanders Overtake the Kalinga Warriors In Bangalore?
Odisha have had an underwhelming season but snuck into the playoff qualification zone at the death, beating Jamshedpur 3-2 last week. Given their better goal difference (+7 compared to Mumbai’s -1) the Kalinga Warriors moved above Mumbai but that was also their last league match of the season, meaning all they can do now is hope that the Islanders lose their final fixture of the campaign.
Mumbai City have experienced a major fall from grace this term, and few would have expected them to be battling to make the top six at this stage for the season at the outset of the campaign. The Islanders won the ISL Cup last season, beating Mohun Bagan in the final, and have not finished outside the top six places since 2017-18 when the league still comprised just 10 teams.
The defending ISL Cup winners will travel to Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium to face Bengaluru FC in their final match of the season on Tuesday and need at least a point from that fixture to secure the final playoff spot. You can follow all the action from Mumbai City’s last game of the term via our Indian Super League livescore tool here on SportyTrader!
