AFC Champions League: Nassaji Mazandaran outclass Mumbai City FC in Pune

by Chittu Shetty September 18, 2023

In an intense encounter at Balewadi Stadium, Mumbai City FC faced off against Nassaji Mazandaran in the AFC Champions League game with latter ultimately emerging victorious with a 2-0 win.

Mumbai City FC started the game with great enthusiasm, with Bipin and Chhangte creating havoc on both flanks, delivering dangerous crosses into the box. However, despite their early efforts, the home side struggled to find the back of the net.

The turning point of the first half came in the 34th minute when Ehsan Hosseini of Nassaji Mazandaran scored against the run of play. Zamehran set up Hosseini, who ran past the Mumbai City FC defense and struck the ball into the net, giving the Iranian side a surprise lead.

Just before halftime, Chhangte makes a good run on the flank before crossing it into the box, where Bipin had a golden opportunity to equalize, but his volleyed shot narrowly missed the target. The first half ended with Nassaji Mazandaran leading 1-0.

The first half witnessed several stoppages, and despite Mumbai’s possession dominance, Nassaji Mazandaran held onto their lead. In the second half, Mumbai City FC continued to press forward. In the 57th minute, a counter-attack saw Mumbai getting into numbers in to the opposition box surging into the final third, but Chhangte failed to find the target with his shot. Chhangte had another chance in the 59th minute but couldn’t beat the goalkeeper.

Nassaji Mazandaran extended their lead in the 62nd minute when Azadi capitalized on a defensive error. Mahmoud Ghaed Rahmati set up Azadi, who calmly slotted the ball into the net, doubling the visitor’s lead.

As the clock ticked down, Mumbai City FC fought hard to get back into the game. Greg Stewart’s effort in the 78th minute was denied by a defender’s block, and his cross in the 82nd minute found Chhangte, whose header went wide.

In the dying moments of the match, Greg Stewart forced a save from the Nassaji Mazandaran goalkeeper, but Mumbai City FC couldn’t break through. Diaz’s long-range effort also missed the target.

The final whistle blew with the scoreline reading Mumbai City FC 0 – 2 Nassaji Mazandaran. Despite a promising start, Mumbai City FC was unable to convert their chances, while Nassaji Mazandaran capitalized on theirs to secure a valuable victory.

Also Read: Mumbai City all set for Asian Champions League

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