ISL: Mumbai City and Hyderabad FC play out draw in clash between top two teams

Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC played out a hard fought 1-1 draw at the Mumbai Football Arena, on Saturday, a result that is in favour of the current Indian Super League table-toppers. Hyderabad FC came into the game with nothing less than a win that would help their cause in the League Shield Winners race, but were kept in check by the Islanders throughout the game.

In a later match on Saturday, Jamshedpur FC registered their third win of the season after beating NorthEast United FC 2-0 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, in Guwahati, on Saturday. Ritwik Das and Daniel Chukwu were on target as the Red Miners went within three points of East Bengal FC on the league table. The Highlanders became the first team in the ISL to concede more than 44 goals in a single season.

Mumbai City opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Lallianzuala Chhangte he held the ball under pressure and chipped it across the face of the goal from the right for Bipin Singh, whose header on target was kept out by Nikhil Poojary’s hand. Jorge Pereyra Diaz stepped up to take the resultant penalty and drilled it into the roof of the net to move into double-figures for the season.

The home side proceeded to take control of the ball from there on, with Hyderabad FC reverting to a less intense press as they struggled to find chances to break into the final third.

In the second half, it was initially Mumbai City who created chances that Hyderabad FC were able to stop. But the visitors found their first big opening in the 66th minute to find the equaliser. Against the run of play, holding midfielder Hitesh Sharma saw a space to run into between the defenders on the left side. Mohammad Yasir played him in from the wing, and the midfielder kept his cool to lift the ball into a narrow opening at the near post.

The draw took Mumbai City to 43 points from 17 matches, with second-placed Hyderabad FC on 36 points from 16 games.

Jamshedpur win

Jamshedpur FC knocked on the door throughout the first half and six minutes from the break, they were rewarded. Chukwu whipped a low ball into a crowded penalty area from close range before Das tapped it into an empty net.

Jamshedpur FC doubled their advantage in the 57th minute after Crivellaro played a through ball for Chukwu to nestle into the far post.

The win did not do enough for Jamshedpur though, who are already out of contention of making the playoffs.