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Jamshedpur FC fell to a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Mumbai City FC at the Furnace on Friday, but anyone who saw the game would know that the scoreline far from echoed the performance of the home side.
It does seem to have become a bit of a theme that Jamshedpur FC play well for long periods of time during a match, bossing possession and registering numerous shots on goal, but inevitably end up on the wrong side of the scoreline at the final whistle.
While that may be indicative of other issues within the side, there is no doubt that despite a tough campaign, there is still a lot of steel about the Men of Steel.
There is no running away from the fact that the team has underperformed this season after winning the ISL League Shield last time out, but for those who follow the club closely, there is also some real optimism that makes the number of defeats feel like a very tough pill to swallow.
The last home game against Bengaluru FC saw Jamshedpur FC register many more shots and set pieces than their opponents, but were on the wrong side of a 0-3 result. This time around, despite dominating for large parts of the game, and even taking the lead, a 1-2 defeat followed.
The frustration among the faithful is palpable, but this game did something magical too. For the first time in a long time, fans across the city seemed to universally accept that Jamshedpur FC are far from a spent force.
A dominant display against the only unbeaten side left in the Indian Super League was proof that while the road back to glory is long and arduous, it is very much doable.
The performance also highlighted a very key point in the development of the club in the bigger picture. Young Indian players continue to shine, and with the production line of talent from the academy getting ever longer, there is a sense that this spell of struggle may not last very long.
Perhaps most importantly, giving the best side in the league a run for their money also gives the Jamshedpur FC players a sense of belief. The ISL playoffs may not be possible to make, but a likely AFC Champions League playoff against Mumbai City FC is very much on the cards, and what could be sweeter than a victory in a game that holds so much weight.
But nobody is getting too carried away. As head coach Aidy Boothroyd likes to constantly remind us, this is a matter of taking one game at a time, and while the victories have been few in number this season, the confidence is slowly but surely coming back, which breeds a certain level of consistency, hopefully improving the side enough before the all important Super Cup begins in April.
