In group X, Deca played hosts to Mumbai Strikers on Monday afternoon at Poinsur Football ground in the opening match of the playoffs-round in this season’s Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) Super Division.

The first-45 minutes of action between the two sides concluded in stalemate (0-0). Both defences held resolute and soaked the pressure exerted on to it throughout the half. But, the lack of a creative midfield or attacking outlet, or movement in the final-third area of the pitch from either side denied the attacking team from capitalizing on any half-chance presented.

A poor structure in the midfield-zone from the Deca as-well-as Mumbai Strikers meant neither side could take hold of the proceedings in a tight and nervy match-up, failing to create nil major goal-scoring opportunities.

While, hopelessly hitting or clearing long-balls towards surging strikers down the other end of the field remained a common site throughout the first-half. Although, Mumbai Strikers remained poised to score an opener sooner than their counterparts, Deca; recording a hatful of shots on goal, but straight towards Burzeen Cobla in-goal for Deca in the final 10 minutes of the first-half.

The opening chance of the second-half fell to Mumbai Strikers’ Ravish D’Souza, who having controlled the pass neatly, flashed his shot off-target; missing-out on converting from the best chance Mumbai Strikers had throughout the 90 minutes.

Set-pieces remained a common threat from both sides in the second-half. But, a repetition of mistakes from the first-half kept the scoreline at 0-0 with the final-15 minutes of the match remaining to unfold.

In the 82nd minute, Deca’s no.13 Joywin Nunes missed-out to convert from a similar range, where Ravish D’Souza missed on the opposite-end earlier in the second-half. The whole 90 minutes of football was a lackluster in terms of finding appropriate passes in the attacking areas of the field.

But, when Deca’s Mahesh Poojari picked the ball up on the left-flank near the opposition’s 18-yard-box, coming inside, the no.16 lashed a shot in the bottom left-corner past the trailing Mumbai Warriors goalkeeper to give his side and the match a much needed goal in the 89th minute.

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