Durand Cup: Mumbai City FC open campaign with hard-fought win over Mohammedan Sporting

Mumbai City FC had a good workout in their 3-1 victory over local favourites Mohammedan Sporting, at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan

Kolkata: The reigning Indian Super League (ISL) League winner Mumbai City FC (MCFC) had a good workout in their 3-1 victory over local favourites Mohammedan Sporting, here at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan here on Saturday.

Playing their first match of the 132nd Durand Cup, the Islanders were three up in the first 35 minutes of the game, but the Black and White brigade made a game of it after their confidence was boosted by a David Lalhlansanga strike.

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Rostyn Griffiths, Jorge Peryra Diaz and Lalianzuala Chhangte scored for the winners. This was the first match of Group B which also has Jamshedpur FC and the Indian Navy as part of it.

The Islanders got on the board as early as the 12th minute when Australian defender Griffiths rose high at the back post off a corner by talisman Greg Stewart, to head home.

The ball hit the underside of the bar before going in. The second goal came just over 10 minutes later from another foreigner, this time their Argentine forward Jorge Peryra Diaz, who tapped in a rebound off keeper Jongte, after Spaniard Alberto Ripoll had shot at goal.

Ripoll then helped put the issue to rest about 10 more minutes later, when he found Bipin Singh’s surging run on the left flank. Bipin’s measured cross across the face of the goal found Chhangte at the end of it, who made no mistake.

The Black and White brigade then brought the spectators to life with a goal of their own when off a corner taken short, Samad Mallick’s cross saw David rise brilliantly to head in.

The lemon break gave the local fans a lot of hope. In the 55th minute, Alexis Gomez missed a sitter and a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit, when off a Remsanga cut back inside the Mumbai box, he found himself in the clear, but his right footer was way off target.

That was Remsanga’s last contribution as Ganesh Besra replaced him soon after. At the hour mark MCFC manager Des Buckingham brought in two changes. Dutchman Yoell Van Nieff and Vikram Pratap Singh replaced Peryra Diaz and Chhangte, as Mohammedan were beginning to get more positive in the game.

Bipin Singh then had a shot hit the bar in the 65th as MCFC pressed hard to put the game beyond the local side.

Mohammedan were also getting their chances and in the 79th, substitutes Besra and Tanmoy Ghosh combined with the latter’s flying header just off the target. That was perhaps the last real chance secured by either side as Mumbai City did well to pick up full points.