Spirited Mumbai FC shoot down Salgaocar

by Kaushal Shukla February 13, 2015

Mumbai FC registered their first win of this season’s I-League after fantastic display to beat in form Salgaocar 3-0 in the evening kick off at Cooperage on 13th February 2015. The win took Mumbai FC’s tally to four points, lifting them off the foot of the table.

Mumbai FC came into this game winless after last week’s draw against Sporting Club de Goa being their first point of the season after three straight away defeats. Salgaocar SC came into the game in red hot form winning their last two games.

But it was the hosts who started the game brightly buoyed by a buzzing Cooperage crowd. Mumbai FC enjoyed more of the ball in the opening exchanges before they made the breakthrough in the 6th minute when Jayesh Rane cleverly picked out Taisuke in space who laid it off for Sampath Kutty Mani who fired an unsavable shot in the top corner to send Cooperage into delirium.

The goal lifted the hosts as there seemed to be a swagger about their play in the opening ten minutes. Mumbai FC were forced into an early change when Mohamed Rafi got injured and was replaced by Dane Pereira in the 16th minute.
Three minutes later Jayesh Rane dazzled his way past the Salgaocar defender to put in a fantastic cross which was well defended by the Salgaocar backline.

A minute later Salgaocar nearly equalized when Augustine Fernandes’ header was defelcted inches over after Nidhin Lal failed to get anywhere near the ball after coming off the line. But he made immediate amends when he brilliant tipped over a shot from Clifton Dias in the 20th minute.

Mumbai FC doubled their advantage in the 26th minute after some brilliant work from Ashutosh Mehta slid Jayesh Rane wide who delivered a pin point cross for Josimar Da Silva who had no problems in putting it away and put the hosts 2-0 up.

Mumbai FC seemed to be content with a two goal lead and started to drop back with a view of protecting what they had. Salgaocar automatically saw more of the ball but Mumbai FC were able to prevent them from playing and looked a threat on the break.

In the 39th minute, Jayesh Rane went down in the box but the appeals for a penalty were waved off by referee Ranjit Baksi. Mumbai went into the break with their 2-0 lead intact.

Derrick Pereira had his work cut out as his side had looked toothless in the first half and Mumbai FC were clearly the better side in the first half.

Salgaocar came into the second half with much more purpose in their play and managed to peg Mumbai FC back in their own half. Nidhin Lal ensured Mumbai’s lead wasn’t halved just four minutes into the second half when he brilliantly kept out a free kick from Salgaocar’s Gurjinder Kumar.

Salgaocar Douhou Pierre couldn’t finish from close range after his shot was heroically blocked off after the ball fell to the Ivorian after a string of passes in the 51st minute.

Six minutes later, Salgaocar came very close to pulling a goal back when they hit the woodwork and fourtunately for Mumbai FC, the Goans falied to capitalize on the rebound.

Salgaocar were putting intense pressure on the Mumbai FC goal post the hour mark, but Mumbai FC who were cheered on by the crowd were putting in a real shift to deny Salgaocar a way back into the game.

Chika Wali took a booking for a professional foul in the 83rd minute. Salgaocar were facing a yellow wall everytime they proceeded towards the Mumbai FC goal as Mumbai FC defended with real heart.

Mumbai FC added sheen to what was a brilliant performance when Jayesh Rane was released on goal by Josimar Da Silva and the youngster colly finished past Subrata Paul to seal Mumbai FC’s first win of the season.

Jayesh Rane who was the star of the show for Mumbai was substituted for Abhishek Yadav who made his debut.

The referee blew for full time to set the Mumbai faithful wild in celebration who had waited way too long for a win on real home soil for their beloved club. The game was truly a spectacle much of it was down to the crowd and a spirited Mumbai FC display.