Margao, Goa: FC Goa ended Mumbai City FC’s nine-match unbeaten run in Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2018-19 with a 2-0 victory at the Mumbai Football Arena on Friday. The match also saw Goa striker Ferran Corominas score his 29th Hero ISL goal, making him the league’s all-time top goal scorer. He was tied with Iain Hume on 28 goals going into the match.
This was the Islanders’ first defeat since they went down 5-0 to the same opponents in the reverse fixture back in October. The win lifts the Gaurs to the third spot in the table above NorthEast United FC. Mumbai, on the other hand, stays in second place behind Bengaluru FC.
Mumbai went into the fixture without their top scorer Modou Sougou in the squad. The striker pulled up with a hamstring injury in the Islanders’ last fixture against Bengaluru and Jorge Costa opted to leave him out of the matchday squad, handing Matias Mirabaje a start instead. For the visitors, Ahmed Jahouh returned to the starting line-up in place of Hugo Boumous.
The Gaurs started the match with their trademark attacking flair and forced Mumbai goalkeeper Amrinder Singh into action with barely two minutes on the clock. The custodian had to be vigilant to tip away Mandar Rao Dessai’s stinging shot from the edge of the box.
With two of the top four teams in action, the match was expected to be a high-octane one and it lived up to the billing perfectly in the first 20 minutes, despite the lack of any truly dangerous goal scoring chances. Tackles flew in and yellow cards were brandished, but both teams maintained a nice tempo with plenty of attacking intent.
After the 25-minute mark, the Gaurs upped the ante and reaped the benefits almost immediately. Seconds after seeing his shot blocked off by Lucian Goian, Edu Bedia drew first blood as he applied the finishing touches to Ferran Corominas’ low cross. Subhasish Bose did slide in to attempt a last-ditch clearance, but the ball crept into the net.
With a goal to the good and their tails up, Goa kept the Mumbai defence under constant pressure. The Islanders did manage to put together a few counter-attacks of their own, but the absence of Sougou’s goal threat in the opposition half was evident throughout the first 45 minutes. The away team went into the break with a one-goal lead.
The second-half began very similarly to the first, with Mandar trying to test Amrinder with an early shot. His curling effort managed to elude the Mumbai custodian’s reach this time, but was a tad too high.
The Islanders’ first big chance of the match came on the 56th minute through a set piece. Mirabaje’s swerving free kick from an odd angle needed a sharp reaction from Goa goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz. The youngster was up to the task and dealt with the danger. Nawaz’s reflexes were tested yet again just five minutes later. Arnold Issoko broke with pace and fed an onrushing Paulo Machado inside the box. Nawaz made a good save to deny the Mumbai skipper and Mourtada Fall was vigilant to clear the rebound out of the danger zone.
Shortly after, Nawaz was left rooted to his spot when Goian rose high to redirect a pin-point Paulo Machado free kick goalward. Luck, however, was in the Gaurs’ side as the effort hit the underside of the crossbar and came out.
With Mumbai putting pressure on the Goa defence in search of the equaliser, a rare counter attack from the Gaurs earned them a penalty much against the flow of the game. Subhasish brought down Coro inside the penalty box prompting the referee to point to the spot. The Spaniard calmly converted the penalty to extend Goa’s lead. It was the Coro’s 11th goal of the season and 29th Hero ISL goal overall, taking him past Iain Hume in the list of Hero ISL’s all-time top goal scorers.
The Gaurs could have made it 3-0 in the final seconds of the stoppage time. Substitute Hugo Boumous tore through the Mumbai defence with a powerful solo run and got his shot off. Amrinder, however, made a good stop to save the Islanders any further blushes.
(ISL Media)
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