ISL: Mumbai City FC secure an opening win over Pune but it was another dull game for the fans

Mumbai City FC made a solid start to their Indian Super League campaign, winning its opening game at the third time of asking. Argentine Matias Defederico’s strike was enough to give the away side the three points and the bragging right in the Maharashtra derby.

Alexandre Guimares, the Mumbai coach must have been delighted with the victory as the Ranbir Kapoor-owned outfit clocked only their second away victory in 15 attempts.

The outcome could have been different if FC Pune City had been able to convert one of the many chances that fell their way as Jesus Tato and Gustavo Oberman missed opportunities to put Pune into the lead.

A poor first half yet again

This was a better first half than the ones of the two matches that preceded it. Yet, with five shots on target in the first half, neither team troubled the scorers.

The teams appear to have a caution-first approach to the first half of games as both Mumbai and Pune pushed but were unable to create anything of note in a damp 45 minutes.

Both Diego Forlan and Defederico tried to make things happen for the away side but the service was poor as both coaches had to contend with a goalless first half.

It is understandable that coaches and teams want to get a feel of the league before unleashing the full force of their teams but the organisers and the fans will hope that it is an exception, only to take place at the beginning of the league and not later as slow starts do not endear football matches to viewers, watching both in the ground and on television.

For someone who would have started watching the ISL this season, the three first-halves of the matches were anything but attractive.

Forlan shows his class

The 26-year old Argentine may have scored the only goal of the night but it was his teammate and the 37-year old Mumbai skipper Diego Forlan who showed touches of class throughout the evening.

Despite being virtually starved of service, Forlan never once lost his cool as he dropped deeper to try and orchestrate attacks, in an attempt to shrug his markers off and giving midfield runners the opportunity to bomb forward.

The Golden Boot winner in the 2010 World Cup lasted 84 minutes before being taken off and had more than a decent debut, setting up the winning goal as well.

Aiborlang Khongjee started the move when he overlapped down the right side and sent a ball in to Forlan, who had his back to the goal but the Uruguay’s thinking was razor sharp as he back-heeled the ball onto Defederico’s path who was offered too much time and space to tuck the ball away into the corner of the net.

Mumbai’s Indian contingent does well

Barring Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte’s performance in defence, the Indian players in the Mumbai team acquitted themselves well. Starting in a 4-3-3 formation, the onus was on Pronay Halder, the deepest of the midfield three to stem the flow of Pune’s attack.

Halder would have been the man of the match if not for Defederico’s goal as the Indian international ran the show from midfield, making some important tackles and winning the duels in the middle of the park. Halder showed good composure on the ball and gave an assured performance in midfield, as he out-thought and out-fought Pune's midfield duo of Lenny Rodrigues and Bruno Arias on the night.

Anwar Ali, the 32-year old Indian centre back showed good awareness to cut out Pune’s attacks as the home team started the game on the front foot, looking to make early inroads into the Mumbai defence.

Partnering Romanian Lucian Goian in the heart of defence, Ali dealt with whatever came his way in a composed manner as his reading of the game enabled him to defend against the likes of Tato, Oberman and Izumi intercepting the ball on more than one occasion.

The wingbacks, Ralte and Khongjee showed good attacking intent as they went forward whenever they sniffed an opportunity as it was the latter’s cross that ultimately led to the goal. Ralte’s recovery was a bit poor as he left vast amount of spaces behind him for the Pune attackers, especially Tato to exploit, which may have been punished on another day.

Overall, it was a satisfactory performance for Mumbai’s back four, three of which were Indians as they kept an away clean sheet and ensured the three points for Guimares’ men.