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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Mumbai, 8^th October, 2014: Hero Indian Super League title aspirants Mumbai City FC warmed up in style for the tournament’s opener against Atletico de Kolkata with clinical victories in their four friendlies in the city so far. The Mumbai City FC team flies to Kolkata on 9^th October to prepare for the inaugural match of Hero ISL tournament against Atletico de Kolkata at Salt Lake Stadium, on 12^th October 2014.

Promoted by Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor and Chartered Accountant Bimal Parekh, the club is determined to make an immediate impact on the Hero Indian Super League and the squad has been undergoing an extensive pre-season camp and playing friendlies to gauge the progress by implanting some of the ideas they practice in training and helping the foreign and Indian players in the squad understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses in actual match conditions.

The team began with a 6-0 thumping of Union Bank at Father Agnel Ground, Vashi, before registering a 3-2 victory over former I-League club Air India. In their two friendlies, at the Cooperage, the team hammered DSK Shivajians 6-1 and then beat another former I-league team ONGC 2-1 with former French international Nicolas Anelka playing a starring role.

The idea of such friendlies is to help the players of different playing styles and countries to gel together and adapt to a system that the team would want to follow through the main tournament.

The purpose was definitely achieved as they not only won all their four matches, but manager Peter Reid would be particularly happy that the likes of Syed Rahim Nabi and Nadong Bhutia have turned provider for their foreign stars with Argentine recruit Diego Nadaya already showcasing what he is capable of with seven goals, including two hat-tricks, for the team in the four friendlies.

The Goal scorers include the former India international Subhash Singh and Lalrindika Ralte, the youngster with the best left-foot in Indian football, apart from the up and coming Bhutia.

But more than the goals and the victories what would have pleased Reid would be the numbers in the shots on target and crosses made inside the opponent’s penalty box. In the four matches, the average shots on targets went into doubles figures and the number of crosses and corners were double of the shots on target.

This clearly means that the mid-field and the forward line is complementing each other, which augurs well for the lung opener on Sunday.

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