FC Goa suffered their second consecutive defeat at the feet of Mumbai City FC and the prognosis at the end of the duel for the Goa team was clear: wake up and smell the coffee as losing 1-4 after having lost 0-2 is not that good.
FC Goa never appeared to get their elements right and when they did in sudden short bursts that never exposed any kink in the Mumbai team that played possession for a major part of the game and went into the break with a comfortable 2-1 lead over their visitors from Goa.
Mumbai City FC looked convincing from the beginning and had it not been for some fine display by FC Goa goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh the song could have ended on a tenor note for Goa.
Mumbai City FC started aiming to record a fourth straight win whilst FC Goa played to overcome the burns inflicted by Bengaluru FC. FC Goa created the first chance to score when Alvaro Vazquez created an opportunity after controlling a long ball but his attempt was nullified by Mumbai City FC keeper Phurba Lachenpa.
FC Goa appeared to enjoy the upper hand till around the tenth minute when Mumbai City FC drew first blood when Greg Stewart made the most of a loose ball at the edge of the FC Goa box and found Jorge Diaz who scored the first goal of the evening.
The goal gave ascendancy to the Mumbai attack with the islanders drawing the FC Goa players in circles except for Dheeraj who stood firm through the onslaught. It was against this rush of play that FC Goa managed to equalize through an error by Mumbai goalkeeper Lachenpa who was unable to gather an easy try by Iker Guarrotxena.
Greg Stewart of Mumbai City FC was the cynosure of all eyes thereafter with his movement of the ball and switching the game from flanks and it was during one such move that Lallianzuala Changte scored his team’s second goal after which both teams left for the half time break with the scoreboard reading 2-1 in favour of the home team.
Mumbai City consolidated their lead a few minutes after the resumption of play when Jorge Diaz after being fed by Chhangte on the left, comfortably made space for himself before slotting the ball past FC Goa keeper.
The goal gave the hosts more breathing space and they appeared to begin enjoying play and that was proved when Alberto Noguera scored from outside the box to make it 4-1 for the hosts.
The fourth Mumbai goal led to a flurry of substitutions and Glan Martins of FC Goa and Rowllin Borges of Mumbai got a nod to prove their mettle for their respective teams. Both failed to raise their hands and change the tempo of the game.
FC Goa’s Edu Bedia was shown the red card through the second half and FC Goa had to try and push for goals to redeem themselves but their attempts were easily foiled by the Mumbai lads.
Mumbai City sits comfortably on top with a five-point cushion whilst FC Goa slips to the sixth position.
