Mumbai City FC move to fifth spot with 3-0 win against Mohammedan Sporting

A second-half offensive powered Mumbai City FC to a 3-0 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Indian Super League here on Sunday. The Islanders held 69.3% of the possession and scored from all of the three shots that they took on target. Mumbai City FC jumped to the fifth place as a result of this triumph, accumulating 27 points from 17 games. The Islanders spared no time in their attempt to set the tone of the game. Vikram Partap Singh met Bipin Singh at the centre of the box with a straightforward pass breaching the Mohammedan backline in the middle of the 18-yard box. Bipin’s shot was struck way too high of the target though.

He returned again in the Mohammedan box merely a minute later, as Lallianzuala Chhangte’s quick footwork down the middle led to the captain serving Bipin a delivery on the inside channel of the left flank. The attacker shot on the bottom left corner but the visiting goalkeeper Padam Chhetri showed quick reflexes to save the effort. Chhangte ensured that the home team kick started the second half with the same intensity as the first one. In the 46th minute, the attacker sprinted down the right flank, picking a ball inside the box with an impeccable touch before shooting it in first attempt. The ball, however, ricocheted off the woodwork.

They finally found the breakthrough in the 72nd minute, and it came off an own goal by Gaurav Bora. Bipin launched a long ball from the left wing that Bora tried to head sideward. Chhetri charged high up to overcome the situation, but left plenty of space unmarked. Bora’s headed clearance landed on the back of their net, handing Mumbai City FC a slender lead. Bora’s issues further mounted in the 78th minute. Jon Toral had time on the ball as he was surging ahead down the centre, and picked Chhangte in a promising position in the right flank.

The skipper didn’t wait too long, immediately pouncing upon the pass. However, it hit straight to Bora, but the ball took a heavy deflection and ended up in the centre of the goal. Mohammedan Sporting invariably bolstered numbers inside their box to thwart the waves of attack being carried out by the Mumbai City FC offence.

Chhangte held the central role in that. His pace overawed the visitors and he was in a 1v1 against Mohammed Jasim. Chhangte didn’t barge inside and instead launched in a powerful cross which wasn’t cleared properly by the opposition’s defence. The ball deflected to Krouma, who backed his instincts to shoot with his first touch from the centre of the box into the middle of the net, tripling the home team’s lead, and rounding off a convincing outing for the Islanders. PTI