Steven Dias and Karan score 3-each as Mumbai FC beats Mumbai Customs 8-3

by Balbir Singh December 6, 2016

December 5, 2016, Cooperage Stadium: Mumbai Football Club hosted Mumbai Customs on Monday afternoon in Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) Elite Division match. The former India player Steven Dias made a decisive and match-winning interventions, as his Mumbai FC team, having started slowly, took charge in the second-half to torture Mumbai Customs 8-3.

Steven Dias, as most distinctively and fondly one can recollect him, has an unignorable career, which is winding down. But Monday afternoon’s display against a Customs side, had a very exciting feel to it, as Dais made marks from the margin scoring three times, and playing a pivotal part in a fairytale-like performance.

The first-45 minutes of the match, both teams had a host of opportunities at their end of the bargain to put the ball in the back of the net than shooting wide. On one such occasion, Mumbai FC broke the deadlock to grab hold of the momentum, proceeding into the second-half matters. Shilton D’Silva’s goal-bound effort had left little room for goalkeeper Rihaz Koya to save the shot.

The second half of the match averaged a goal every four and half minutes, as 10 goals were orchestrated, with Dias scoring a quarter of them. The Mumbai FC no.23 helped set up Karan Sawhney, for the striker’s hat-trick.

Karan Sawhney raised and pulled the curtains to a highly greeting performance, opening his account in the 58th minute and completing his hat-trick with a goal from the spot in the dying moments of the match.

In a maddening final 15 minutes and a hefty chunk of stoppage time, the game barely settled or slowed down for either side to manage any real foothold in the match.

Nikhil Kadam scored Mumbai FC’s third to put his side firmly in control. After five minutes of end-to-end football, Steven Dias got his breakthrough goal. His opposite number in the Custom ranks Charles Miranda produced a show of his own, as the no.23 added his name to the scorer’s sheet.

A minute later, Dias replied with a fine and cleanly struck goal to double his tally of goals and restore the side’s four-goal cushion. And just as Rilando Fernandes’ strike went inside the goal in the 85th minute, Dias stepped-up again to complete his hat-trick, right after the restart.

An oblivion of hope for a comeback rumoured a few miles from the spot, Custom’s Sagar scored his third and final goal of the afternoon on 87 minutes. But as the match headed into added time, Karan Sawhney’s hugger to manoeuvre a goal, resulted in the striker’s much-anticipated second goal on 92 minutes.

As the match reached its conclusion, Mumbai FC were granted with a chance to add another – to an already glittering scoreline and team performance – from the spot; Karan Sawhney converted, making a statement of intent.