Sergio Lobera’s return to the island city culminated in a 1-1 draw between Mumbai City FC and Odisha FC at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Indian Super League on Sunday as goals by strikers Roy Krishna and Nikolaos Karelis resulted in both teams settling for a point each.
The game got off to a cracking start and wrapped up under similarly intensified circumstances, but the intermediate period was a slightly cagey affair with both sides engaging in a clash of tactical supremacy – refusing to concede an inch, stretching the opposition’s defence wide, and creating chances aplenty but still managing to bring their defensive act together to keep the other team at bay.
Lobera was the happier of the two coaches at the onset of the game, with his frontline pressing forward and inflicting pressure on the Mumbai City FC defence. Their charge was led by Fijian forward Roy Krishna, spearheading by example and he reaped the rewards for the same in the 14th minute.
As the Islanders looked to build from the back, Valpuia played a lobbed pass to goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa. The custodian brought the ball down but was unable to keep control over the possession, and Krishna lapped upon the opportunity by sprinting ahead, getting the ball back and simply placing it into the back of the net to help the Juggernauts get ahead in the game.
The home team got their act back together almost immediately afterwards though. Their attacking unit began functioning in the trademark manner, with Lallianzuala Chhangte taking the ball ahead and squaring up passes at the centre for the striker or the onrushing midfielders. His interlinking with Karelis was a treat for the home fans, and one such move brought them the equaliser in the 23rd minute.
Chhangte, near the goal-line, pierced through the Odisha FC backline with a sharp delivery that was met perfectly by Karelis, who simply had to get his foot at the ball to help it land past Amrinder Singh and drag the Petr Kratky-coached team back in the game.
Former Mumbai City FC star Amrinder was sublime in the second half, first helping them deny Chhangte’s slick effort in the 61st minute. Eight minutes later, PN Noufal and Jon Toral tested Amrinder’s reflexes, catching the Odisha FC backline off-guard with their link up in the final third.
Toral had abundant space to strike the ball home but his shot was firmly saved by Amrinder, keeping Odisha FC’s hopes afloat. Midfielder Ahmed Jahouh’s sending off in the 80th minute presented a new challenge for the Juggernauts, but they held their nerves to see off the game without any hiccups and get a draw on the road.
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