The table toppers registered a 4-2 win over second-placed Jamshedpur FC at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Margao, Goa on Thursday.
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Defending champions and league leaders Mumbai City FC strengthened their grip on the top spot in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) with a crucial victory in the top-of-the-table clash. The table toppers registered a 4-2 win over second-placed Jamshedpur FC at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Margao, Goa on Thursday. It was a game of two halves as the pendulum swung in favour of both teams at different points in the match. Mumbai raced to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Cassio Gabriel (3’), Bipin Singh (17’) and Igor Angulo (24’) in the first half. However, Jamshedpur hit back in the second half to pull two goals back through Komal Thatal (48’) and Eli Sabia (55’). Deep into the second period, Ygor Catatau (70’) added a fourth for Mumbai after coming off the bench to seal the victory for the Islanders.
Des Buckingham’s side got off to the best possible start in a crunch top-of-the-table battle when Ahmed Jahouh took a corner short, finding Gabriel in space outside the box. His cross that was meant for a Mumbai City FC head evaded everyone and beat TP Rehenesh in Jamshedpur FC goal to give the Islanders lead in the third minute. Minutes later, Jamshedpur got a great chance to level the score but the Red Miners who had opted to keep Nerijus Valskis on the bench failed to convert a glorious opportunity.
Mumbai City FC made their opponents pay for that miss. Sabia was brushed off the ball way too easily by Angulo who then drove inside the box to lay it on a plate for Bipin who tapped home from close range to make it 2-0 in the 17th minute. The Islanders added a third seven minutes later when Gabriel found Angulo inside the box with a line-breaking pass and the Spaniard turned and curled it into the side netting.
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A shell-shocked Jamshedpur FC were almost opened up again four minutes later when Jahouh found Angulo inside the box but his effort was saved by Rehenesh. Mumbai City FC dominated the remainder of the first half as they enjoyed a deserved 3-0 lead at the interval but Jamshedpur FC also enjoyed some half chances.
At this point, the match looked well and truly over, but Jamshedpur FC had other ideas. Owen Coyle made a positive change bringing in Boris Singh for Pronay Halder at the start of the second half and the Red Miners all of a sudden looked like a different unit. Komal Thatal pulled one back for his team in the 48th minute when he drove inside the box before firing at goal. His shot took a wicked deflection that beat Nawaz in the Mumbai City FC goal.
Soon after, Jamshedpur FC were back in the contest when they made it 3-2 in the 55th minute. Sabia headed home from close range after a ball that rebounded off the upright fell to him two yards out. The entertaining contest became a whole lot intriguing at this point.
However, substitute Catatau latched onto a long ball that the Jamshedpur FC defence failed to deal with. He then stunningly found the roof of the net with a glorious finish from a tight angle in the 70th minute to seal the points.
Mumbai City FC claimed the three points and extended their lead at the top of the table to four points. On the other hand, Jamshedpur FC are currently occupying the second spot. Coyle’s men take on Odisha FC in their next match on Tuesday while Mumbai City FC face Chennaiyin FC a day later.
