Mumbai Premier League: MH Oranje FC and Kenkre share spoils in thrilling 2-2 draw

by Chittu Shetty March 18, 2025

MH Oranje FC’s hopes of reigniting their title challenge suffered a significant blow as Kenkre FC staged a remarkable second-half comeback to secure a 2-2 draw in a thrilling Mumbai Premier League clash.

Maharashtra Oranje FC, needing a victory to stay in contention, started brightly and dominated the first half, but Kenkre’s resilience proved decisive.

Oranje’s attacking intent was evident from the outset, and they took the lead in the 21st minute. A looping cross into the box was met by Yogesh Kadam, whose looping header was misjudged by the Kenkre goalkeeper, allowing the ball to sneak into the net at the far post. Around the half-hour mark, Oranje doubled their advantage. Skipper Manish Siddha beat his marker on the left wing, surged into the box, and cut the ball back to an unmarked Yogesh Kadam, who tapped home his second goal of the match.

Oranje looked firmly in control at halftime, but their inability to capitalize on early second-half chances proved costly. They had a couple of good opportunities to extend their lead, but their profligacy allowed Kenkre to stage a fightback.

In the 69th minute, Abner Fernandes latched onto a pass from the right and released a perfectly weighted through ball, finding T. Zimik who had timed his run to perfection, beating the offside trap. Despite the Oranje goalkeeper coming off his line to narrow the angle, Zimik expertly lifted the ball over him and into the net, reducing the deficit to 2-1.

Kenkre’s momentum continued, and in the 80th minute, Niranjan Kumar was brought down inside the Oranje box, prompting the referee to point to the spot. T. Zimik stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper, completing Kenkre’s comeback and leveling the score at 2-2.

The match ended 2-2, with both teams walking away with a point each. The result sees Oranje move up one place to fifth in the table with 7 points, while Kenkre remains in the penultimate position. With the tournament heading into the final stages, the draw leaves Oranje’s title aspirations hanging by a thread, while Kenkre’s spirited comeback will be a much-needed boost morale boost.

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