Mumbai City recovered from their opening defeat of the Indian Super League’s fourth season by beating FC Goa 2-1 at home on Saturday.
Midfielder Everton Santos put Mumbai ahead early in the second half before Manuel Arana equalised for Goa. It was left for substitute Thiago dos Santos to seal the match for Mumbai as he scored with less than seven minutes left on the clock.
The first half was rather sloppy as both teams sized each other up. Goa’s first good chance of the half came in the 19th minute when Spaniard Manuel Bruno sent across a delightful left-footed cross to his compatriot Ferran Telechea. But the forward took one touch too many to allow a Mumbai defender to clear the ball.
Goa nearly scored at the other end as well a few minutes later after Seriton Fernandes almost slid the ball into his own net while trying to clear. Mumbai had two other great chances in the half via some great passes and crosses from the midfield but it was their forward line that failed to do anything with them.
India international Balwant Singh, back after missing their first game because of injury, and Brazilian Everton Santos could have put their side ahead at least once if not more but it wasn’t to be.
Goa’s best chance of the half came in its last few seconds as a scuffle in the Mumbai box led to Telechea shooting the ball goalwards from within six yards but goalkeeper Amrinder dived to his right to make a crucial save. The teams went into halftime still level and goalless.
The second half started like the first ended, with both teams almost getting onto the scoresheet but for either poor or unlucky finishing involving crossbar hits. It was, then, rather on cue that the first goal of the night came via another sloppy effort, unfortunately at Goa’s expense.
The away goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani received a back-pass and he took too long to clear it considering Everton Santos was lurking nearby. The Brazilian slid in at Kattimani’s feet and got the ball, which lobbed up and dropped into the net. It was a lucky goal but Santos had created it, and he was thrilled, along with the hosts.
Goa found the net minutes later themselves before the linesman’s raised flag turned loud cheers into boos from the tiny away section. It wasn’t an equalizer but this was finally a contest.
The rest of the half saw Goa get frustrated, committing a few fouls and playing into the hands of Mumbai before Manuel Arana finally got the equalizer. The Spaniard received the ball from the right flank before volleying it into the net past a helpless Amrinder.
Manuel Bruno almost gave Goa the lead with a beautiful left-footed curler from outside the 18-yard box but Amrinder Singh boxed it over the bar. Then, rather cruelly for the away side, Mumbai nicked the lead at the other end via substitute Thiago dos Santos with less than three minutes to play.
Mumbai held on to their lead, barely, even as the fourth official added four minutes at the end, picking up their first points of the season.
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