Photo Credit: ISL Media
MATCH FACTS
FULL-TIME: Mumbai City FC 0-2 FC Goa
FC Goa: Edu Bedia (28′); Ferran Corominas (79′ Penalty).
MATCH REPORT
Ferran Corominas helped his team break Mumbai City FC’s nine-match unbeaten streak and is now the all-time top goalscorer of the Indian Super League. Incidentally, Mumbai’s unbeaten run started after they suffered a heavy defeat against FC Goa in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
The Gaurs started the game with the ‘main man’ Coro upfront, Jackichand and Brandon on the wings and Edu Bedia playing in front of the midfield two of Ahmed Jahouh and Lenny Rodrigues.
The Goan side were exceptionally fluid and held possession well more so in the first half. An early chance to Mandar Rao was saved by the Mumbai custodian Amrinder Singh.
Goa eventually opened the scoring in the 29th minute after Coro with a darting run into the box received the ball and toe-poked it towards goal. Amrinder pawed the attempt towards Edu Bedia whose shot on target deflected off a defender and went fortuitously into the net. This was Edu Bedia’s sixth goal of the season as the Gaurs went into half-time with a one-goal lead.
Mumbai were more assertive in the second half and looked to find the equaliser. The Goan keeper Nawaz pulled off a great save from a Paulo Machado shot on goal from eight yards. Aside from that, Lucian Goian saw his header from a set-piece hit the post and a couple of attempts were thwarted by the keeper Nawaz who deserved his clean sheet.
Meanwhile on the other end, the Goan side poured forward at every opportunity. Mandar Rao and Ahmed Jahouh had good attempts on goal saved by the Mumbai keeper. Eventually, Mumbai’s resistance and chances of a comeback were put to rest after a characteristic run forward by Hugo Boumous into the box. Boumous looped the ball to Coro who was brought down by Subhashish Bose.
Coro stepped up to score the penalty to make it 2-0. With the goal, Coro overtook Iain Hume of FC Pune City and has 29 goals in only his second season for FC Goa. The Spanish forward was the leading goalscorer last season (18 goals) and leads this season’s scoring chart with 11 goals from 12 matches.
Mumbai City sorely missed Modou Sougou tonight who was out injured. The lack of his tactful runs and ability to stretch defences meant Mumbai City could not replicate their strategy or performance like they did against Bengaluru FC in their last game. They did do what they could though, but Goa are too potent an attacking threat to keep out on most days.
With the win, Goa move into third on the table and are hot on the heels of Mumbai City with a game in hand and superior goal difference.
STARTING XI
Mumbai City: 79′ Bipin Singh (M. Mirabaje); 84′ M. Rafique (R. Fernandes); 88′ V. Dakshinamurthy (R. Bastos).
FC Goa: 68′ H. Boumous (Edu Bedia); 83′ Manvir Singh (Jackichand Singh); 90′ Zaid Krouch (Coro).
One Comment