A big crowd gathered at the D Y Patil stadium to witness the action of their home team, and they were thoroughly entertained by a high quality performance from the Mumbai City FC unit that dominated proceedings all the way. Andre Moritz’s goals in the 12^th, 27^th and 71^th minute, as well as goals from Subhash Singh (37^th minute) and Johann Letzelter (85^th minute) allowed MCFC to completely dominate the FCPC, who paid for some very ordinary defending.

Mumbai City FC 5-0 FC Pune City

Following a loss in their opening game, MCFC showed a lot of courage and played superb counter-attacking and aggressive game. FC Pune City managed to have just one shot on target to Mumbai City FC’s 11, such was the latter’s domination.

Mumbai made four changes to their starting XI that played against Atletico de Kolkata in the tournament opener. Skipper Syed Rahim Nabi, who has been ruled out for three weeks due to injury, was replaced by Brazil born Andre Moritz while Subhash Singh came in to complete the Indian quota in place of Argentine Diego Nadaya.

Moritz immediately showed his worth when the Italian passport holder scored MCFC’s first goal of the tournament against the run of play in the 12th minute.

The attacking midfielder made a run from the right, cut in just before the FC Pune City box and unleashed a low left footer to beat the goalkeeper.

Till then the visitors had dominated the proceedings with their marquee player David Trezeguet wasting a free-kick from the edge of the box in the third minute.

But just when it felt like the hosts were being put under pressure by FCPC’s free flowing football, Moritz struck and changed the complexion of the game.

MCFC then began to assert themselves more and Nadung Bhutia could have made it 2-0 with a close range header only to be denied by the goalkeeper. However, Moritz flicked in the resulting corner to double his team’s advantage in the 27th minute and Subhash Singh made it 3-0 ten minutes later with a low right footer despite being a lone MCFC player upfront on the counter.

Subhash had a chance to add to his tally five minutes from half time but could only stab the ball wide off a through ball from the half line.

Moritz completed his hat-trick in the 70^th minute, just three minutes after the arrival of star player Freddie Ljungberg, showing some great skill. An error from a FCPC defender gave Moritz the ball in dangerous area, and the Brazilian then moved forward with purpose, put the brakes on to beat defender Cirillo, and comfortably slotted the ball past the goalkeeper with a low right-footed shot. This turned out to be the first hat-trick in the Indian Super League.

Frenchman Johan Letzelter then added more misery on a hapless FCPC defence by adding a fifth for Mumbai City FC in the 85^th.

Mumbai City FC coach Peter Reid was obviously happy with the team’s performance, and said the home crowd created a terrific atmosphere. “It was a great comeback after the defeat in Kolkata. We passed well, which was one of our targets. We are looking forward to maintain that in the future games,” the coach said.

Man-of-the-Match Andre Moritz said, “Every game is different. And therefore it’s important to play well in every game. I am delighted to have contributed today, and I am looking forward to contribute to the team’s cause in the future.”

Another goal-scorer Subhash Singh said he was delighted to have scored and is looking forward to continue his goal-scoring form in the future games.

Result:

Mumbai City FC 5 (Andre Moritz 12, 27, 71; Subhash Singh 37, Johann Letzelter 85) bt FC Pune City 0.

Hero of the Match: Andre Moritz;

Swift Moment of the match: Subhash Singh;

Fit player of the match: Lalrindika Ralte;

Outstanding young talent: Subhash Singh

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As per the findings of the Mumbai City FC medical team, Syed Rahim Nabi has a contusion over the Left Ankle/foot due to twisting of the ankle joint. The MRI reveals that there is neither a fracture nor a ligament/Soft tissue injury. There is a suspected partial sprain of one of the ankle ligament.

Nabi is currently under a knee cast and has begun his rehabilitation with the medical team saying that he could be out for up to three weeks.

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Palava, 20th September 2014: Football fever is back with India’s biggest Football extravaganza, the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) beginning on 12th October. In a run up to ISL, the Mumbai City FC team as part of their community outreach program visited Palava, the City of Opportunity.

Promoted by Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh, the team boasts of international stars and top domestic talent. Ex-Arsenal legend and former captain of the Swedish National team, Freddie Ljungberg, former French National team player and winner of the Premier League Golden Boot 2008-2009, Nicolas Anelka, ex-Borussia Dortmund defender and German National team player, Manuel Friedrich, Argentinean Diego Nadaya and the current Indian National team goalkeeper, Subrata Pal form the nucleus of this star studded team headed by the ex-Everton icon Peter Reid as manager.

The squad spent the entire Saturday at Palava beginning with a special workshop and training session for 60 kids conducted at the state of the art football ground by Assistant Coach, Steve Darby, an ESPN Star Sports pundit and most recently the head coach of Kelantan FA in the Malaysia Super League. The children were thrilled to train and interact with their idols, taking autographs and clicking pictures with the stars.

Following the training, the players spent a relaxed day at Palava with a round of Golf at the serene 9-hole golf course by the river and other recreational sports at Palava.

Steve Darby, Assistant Coach – Mumbai City FC, said: “Kids in Mumbai have tremendous enthusiasm for football, and now at Palava, they have a great football facility where they can hone their skills and achieve excellence. This has been a wonderful opportunity for Mumbai City FC to connect with its fans and we look forward to many more such engaging interactions.”

Shaishav Dharia, Development Director, Palava said: “We are tremendously pleased to host Mumbai City FC at Palava and give young enthusiasts the opportunity to meet and train with the stars. This is another step in our endeavour to not just provide world class sports facilities, but create platforms that enhance skills and create special experiences for our residents.”

About Mumbai City Football Club
Mumbai City Football Club or Mumbai City FC, is Mumbai’s franchise in the inaugural Hero Indian Super League. Bollywood actor and football enthusiast Ranbir Kapoor and chartered accountant Bimal Parekh together own the team. Mumbai’s D.Y Patil Stadium is the team’s home stadium.
The team’s logo is a reflection of a resilient fortress that stands proudly, surrounding the logo that signifies the unrelenting, determined spirit of the city. The seven stars symbolize the islands that form Mumbai. Trains that are the very lifeline of the city ply millions of Mumbaikars across its vast expanse and connect these islands. Each passenger, each citizen of the city is bound together by their love for the place they call home. 20 million citizens, 20 million hearts pulse to a single beat – the heartbeat of Mumbai.

The post Mumbai City FC thrills its fans at Palava! appeared first on Football Counter.

Mumbai, 18th September 2014: Mumbai City FC today announced the signing of the outstanding Freddie Ljungberg as the marquee player for the inaugural season of the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL). Karl Fredrik Ljungberg, better known as Freddie Ljungberg, is a former Swedish National Team Captain and a midfielder who has been a critical part of football clubs such as Arsenal, West Ham United and Halmstads BK. His presence at Mumbai City FC will ensure the team has a strong midfield with Ljungberg comfortable playing on either wing in midfield.

Freddie Ljungberg, Welcome to Mumbai City FC

Ljungberg is recognized the world over for his skill and contribution to the sport when he was part of Arsenal’s feared lineup in the early part of this millennium. For several seasons, he played a major role for the club including being a member of the unbeaten 49 game run for the team. In 2008, Arsenal’s manager Arsène Wenger placed Ljungberg 11th in Arsenal Gunners’ Greatest 50 Players. For his home country of Sweden, Ljungberg has earned 75 caps scoring 14 times.

Speaking about the signing, team owner Ranbir Kapoor said, “Mumbai City FC is immensely proud to sign a player like Freddie Ljungberg today. As a former Sweden captain and Arsenal great, the world football fraternity understands what he is worth and I’m sure Mumbai’s football fans will be delighted with his presence in the team. He will enrich us with his talent and experience and we look forward to seeing him making Mumbai proud in the coming season.”

After joining the Mumbai City FC team, Freddie Ljungberg said, “Mumbai City FC presents a thrilling opportunity to play in India and I’m glad to be part of the team in the very first Indian Super League season. Talented Indian players together with the likes of Anelka, Friedrich, ?movš and others will make the team an exciting outfit and I look forward to contributing to the team’s success.”

Ever since the Vittsjö born talent started playing football, he was credited as being someone who was remarkably capable for his age and a player who would pass the ball to his friends so that they would have a chance to score. At the age of 12, Ljungberg convinced Halmstads BK to move him from p12 to p14, which was against Halmstad’s policies at the time.

At age 14, he joined the junior team under Coach Robert Nordström. His perseverance paid off because three years later he was moved up to the senior team where he made his senior debut on 23rd October 1994 in the Allsvenskan against AIK. In 1995, Ljungberg played 31 games in which he scored his first goal as a professional player. That same year Halmstad won the Swedish Cup.

Ljungberg was signed by Arsenal in 1998 for £3 million, which at the time was the highest transfer fee ever for a Swedish player. Arsenal scouts watched him for over a year and Wenger took the unusual step of authorizing the signing after watching Ljungberg play for Sweden in their victory against England on television, without seeing him play live.

Ljungberg proved himself without difficulty and scored on his debut after coming on as a substitute against rivals Manchester United, the match ending 3–0. Some of Ljungberg’s best form came in the second half of the 2001–02 season, when Arsenal won their second Premier League and FA Cup double.

Ljungberg became a regular in Arsenal’s starting lineup following the departure of Emmanuel Petit and Marc Overmars in the summer of 2000. For several seasons he played a major role for the club including being a member of the unbeaten 49 game run for Arsenal.

After his nine years at Arsenal FC, Ljungberg went on to play for West Ham United, Seattle Sounders FC, Chicago Fire, Celtic Glasgow and Shimizu S-Pulse.

Mumbai City FC welcomes Freddie Ljungberg to its fold and his addition strengthens the football club further ahead of its inaugural Indian Super League season.

About Mumbai City Football Club

Mumbai City Football Club or Mumbai City FC, is Mumbai’s franchise in the inaugural Hero Indian Super League. Bollywood actor and football enthusiast Ranbir Kapoor and chartered accountant Bimal Parekh together own the team. Mumbai’s D.Y Patil Stadium is the team’s home stadium. The team’s logo is a reflection of a resilient fortress that stands proudly, surrounding the logo that signifies the unrelenting, determined spirit of the city. The seven stars symbolize the islands that form Mumbai. Trains that are the very lifeline of the city ply millions of Mumbaikars across its vast expanse and connect these islands. Each passenger, each citizen of the city is bound together by their love for the place they call home. 20 million citizens, 20 million hearts pulse to a single beat – the heartbeat of Mumbai.

For the latest photos, videos and updates please visit:
http://www.youtube.com/MumbaiCityFC | http://twitter.com/MumbaiCityFC | https://www.facebook.com/MumbaiCityFC

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