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MATCH INFORMATION
Northeast United 0-1 Mumbai City FC
KICK-OFF: Nov 9, 7.30PM (IST) (GMT +5.30)
Channel: Star Sports HD1, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 3.
Streaming: Hotstar, Jio TV.
Highlights: Click Here
Venue: Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati.
MATCH PREVIEW
Northeast United have an opportunity to go on top of the table when they host Mumbai City FC who are on the upswing with two back-to-back wins. NEUFC left it late in their previous game against Delhi Dynamos. The usual suspects Ogbeche and the Uruguayan Federico Gallego oversaw a 2-0 win towards the end of the second half.
Ogbeche and Gallego are on top of the goal-scoring and assists’ charts respectively in the ISL this season. Jose Leudo and Rowllin Borges have been solid in midfield and have chipped in with goals. However, their defence has looked a bit suspect with Pawan Kumar not entirely convincing.
Mato Grgic will be without his fellow Croatian defender Mislav Komorski who is suspended. Gurwinder Singh is out injured as well. The NEUFC second-choice defence will have their hands full against a powerful Mumbai attack comprising of Modou Sougou, Arnold Issoko and Rafael Bastos.
Mumbai City FC visit Guwahati on the back of two wins against Chennaiyin and Delhi Dynamos. It’s been a good run of form for them after their disastrous 0-5 loss against FC Goa. NEUFC haven’t won against Mumbai City the past two seasons in the ISL, but this is a very different Northeast United with Eelco Schattorie and Avram Grant in management. A victory today would do wonders for Mumbai’s campaign to reach the playoffs.
It will be a tough ask for Mumbai City FC to turn over Northeast United for the three points. Lucian Goian organised his defence well in the last game, but the NEUFC frontline will be a tougher proposition. Northeast United are still unbeaten this season and have an incentive to keep it that way and go into pole position.
PRE-MATCH QUOTES
Jorge Costa, Head Coach, Mumbai City: “It will be 11 vs 11 tomorrow, a level playing field. I am confident about the abilities of my players and I hope we can take home the three points.”
STARTING XI
MATCH STATS
FULL-TIME: Northeast United 0-1 Mumbai City FC
91′ – YELLOW CARD (Matias Mirabaje, Mumbai City)
88′ – SUB (Mumbai City: Sanju Pradhan [IN] Arnold Issoko [OUT])
86′ – YELLOW CARD (Subhashish Bose, Mumbai City)
79′ – SUB (NEUFC: A. Okrah [IN] Juan Cruz Mascia [OUT])
76′ – SUB (Mumbai City: M. Mirabaje [IN] Rafael Bastos [OUT])
76′ – SUB (NEUFC: Gurwinder Singh [IN] Redeem Tlang [OUT])
68′ – YELLOW CARD (Mato Grgic, NEUFC)
67′ – SUB (Mumbai City: R. Fernandes [IN] Milan Singh [OUT])
64′ – SUB (NEUFC: Keegan Pereira [IN] Robert Lalthlamuana [OUT])
44′ – YELLOW CARD (Robert Lalthlamuana, NEUFC)
15′ – YELLOW CARD (Sehnaj Singh, Mumbai City)
9′ – YELLOW CARD (Lucian Goian, Mumbai City)
4′ – GOAL! 0-1 (Arnold Issoko, Assist: Paulo Machado, Mumbai City)
MATCH REPORT
Mumbai City ended Northeast United’s unbeaten run with a resolute performance to edge a 1-0 victory over the Highlanders. With this win, Mumbai City have won three games on the trot and have moved to third place on the table.
In the first half, Mumbai City did not allow NEUFC players any time on the ball and were pressing them across the pitch. Mumbai created chances in the first 45 minutes, but the winning goal came from fortuitous play in the 4th minute. Paulo Machado drilled the ball into the box from the right flank – the ball struck Arnold Issoko on his arm and his body and deflected into the goal. The NEUFC keeper went for a save but his momentum took him inside the goal post along with the ball.
Eelco Schattorie, the NEUFC coach was furious with the referee’s decision to award a goal and had this to say in the post-match press conference:
“Today’s goal, I have to see the goal on video. But I’m 99.9% sure that was a handball and a foul. If the ball went over the line, I don’t know. I cannot see it. But I was almost sure there was a foul and a handball before that. So, that is really painful. Again, we have to accept that.”
Mumbai went into halftime leading 1-0. Early in the second half, they created clear-cut chances which could’ve helped them settle the game early. Instead, they went through the long arduous route of defending a one-goal lead.
NEUFC dominated possession and had quite a few shots on goal, especially in the second half. They laid siege to the Mumbai City goal in the last 20 minutes, but Mumbai stood tall and strong. The Mumbai goalkeeper Amrinder Singh had an outstanding game in goal alongside center-back Lucian Goian. Mumbai were aggressive on the field and picked up four yellow cards in the game.
Mumbai City should be proud of how they held on today for the win. Although they don’t have the most technical side, their organisation and determination should help them go a long way this season. They take on ATK next on Nov. 24 after the international break.
NEUFC haven’t won a game this season at home and that’s a statistic they will be looking to change soon. They have great support at home and they should take advantage of that. The Highlanders deserved to pick up at least a point today with the chances they created. They will play against Kerala Blasters after the international break on Nov. 23.
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