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New Mumbai City head coach Petr Kratky fielded few changes in the lineup as Tiri took the defensive position, replacing Griffiths, Jayesh Rane entered for Vinit Rai, and Van Nieff stepped in for El Khayati in the midfield, while Bipin Singh took over the right wing replacing Vikram Singh.
Mumbai City started brightly with early attacking movements. In the 4th minute, a promising long ball in the attack reached Jorge Pereyra Diaz, who penetrated the box before sending a dangerous ball across. Under pressure from his marker, Jayesh Rane managed to get a head on it, but unfortunately, it soared over the bar.
Five minutes later another opportunity came for Mumbai City as Greg slipped the ball to Bipin on the left. Bipin’s low cross was tantalizingly close to Diaz’s toe poke, narrowly missing the mark before East Bengal’s goalkeeper, Prabhsukhan Gill, secured it.
A series of events unfolded in the 12th minute, with Cleiton Silva receiving a yellow card for a rash challenge on Tiri during a pressing attempt. Tiri, reacting to the foul, also found himself booked.
In the 17th minute, Souvik Chakrabarti recieved a yellow card after a reckless foul on Greg Stewart. The ensuing freekick, expertly delivered by Greg, found Tiri at the far post, but his shot was blocked.
East Bengal tried to respond with a corner in the 20th minute, but Saúl Crespo’s subsequent right-footed shot from outside the box veered wide.
The 25th minute witnessed East Bengal earning a freekick, courtesy of a foul on Mahesh. Cleiton Silva’s delivery was chested down by Saul Crespo, and Hijazi Meher’s attempted backheel shot posed no challenge for Mumbai City’s goalkeeper, Phurba Lachenpa.
Directly after the drinks break at the 32nd minute, East Bengal orchestrated an attack from the left wing. Saul Crespo maneuvered inside the Mumbai City box, cutting the ball for Borja Herrera, whose left-footed shot from the left side narrowly missed over the bar.
As the first half progressed, Greg Stewart showcased brilliance in the 41st minute, executing a fantastic feint to elude a couple of defenders and penetrate the box. He then passed it to Diaz. With defenders closing in, Diaz found Bipin on the wings. Bipin’s ensuing cross to the far post was collected by Gill, denying Mumbai City another goal-scoring opportunity.
In the final moments of the first half, Chhangte delivered a ball into the box, which was headed across by Greg Stewart but ultimately cleared away by the resilient Bengal defense.
The second half commenced with both teams engaging in a cautious battle in the initial minutes. Mumbai City FC orchestrated an attack from the right as Tiri’s well-placed ball found Bipin. Bipin, in turn, cut the ball back for Jayesh Rane, but the latter’s shot lacked power and was safely collected by the East Bengal goalkeeper.
In the 54th minute, Hijazi Maher received a yellow card for a reckless foul on Greg Stewart. The ensuing freekick, however, was cleared away by the East Bengal defense.
The 56th minute saw Diaz chesting down the ball for Stewart, who, under pressure from a defender inside the box, laid it off for Jayesh Rane. Unfortunately, Rane’s strike from the edge of the box sailed just over the bar.
Coach Petr Kratky opted for a triple substitution in the 63rd minute, introducing Chhangte, Griffiths, and Vinit Rai for Van Nieff, Jayesh Rane, and Mehtab Singh, respectively.
In the 66th minute, East Bengal came close to breaking the deadlock. Substitute Nandhakumar Singh initiated an attack from the left wing, evading his marker, and delivered a through ball to Cleiton Silva, who made a late run into the box. However, Cleiton’s shot from close range was blocked by Tiri with a well-timed challenge.
The 73rd minute witnessed a near-breakthrough for Mumbai City FC when a cross into the box fell who Rostyn Griffiths, who unleashed a right-footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box. However, East Bengal’s goalkeeper, Gill, made a crucial save with his outstretched arms to deny Mumbai City the lead.
The 80th minute brought a promising opportunity for Mumbai City FC. A defensive clearance from East Bengal sent the ball out, and Tiri, commanding in defense, headed it forward again. Apuia seized the chance and attempted a powerful shot on the volley from outside the box. However, the strike went straight into the waiting hands of East Bengal Keeper.
In the ensuing minutes, Mumbai City FC continued to press forward in search of a late winner. Bipin Singh, operating from the right side, tried his luck with a shot, but unfortunately, it found the side netting instead of the back of the net.
The 82nd minute witnessed a strategic change by Coach Petr Kratky, who opted to bring on El Khayati, and Vikram Singh injecting fresh attacking impetus into the Mumbai City FC lineup.
As the clock ticked into the 89th minute, Nandhakumar Sekar with a well-timed through ball found Cleiton Silva who attempted a right-footed shot from outside the box. However, the shot lacked the required venom, and Islander’s custodian, Phurba Lachenpa, made a comfortable save by diving to his right.
In the 92nd minute, East Bengal had one final attempt to snatch a late winner. Mahesh initiated a counter-attack with a well-placed ball, but with no support in the box, he opted to lay it off for Nandha. Nandha managed to get into the box, but his shot was blocked by Tiri just in the nick of time, denying East Bengal the opportunity to trouble the scoreline
Despite a flurry of late attempts from both sides, including a last-ditch effort from Mumbai City FC to find a breakthrough, East Bengal’s resilient defense ensured the game concluded in a hard-fought draw.
The final whistle confirmed the stalemate between Mumbai City FC and East Bengal. With the draw, Mumbai City FC secured a point and remain in the 4th spot in the league table. Looking ahead, the Islanders will now focus on their upcoming clash against East Bengal’s archrival, Mohun Bagan, scheduled just four days later on December 20.
#MumbaiCity FC are held to a goalless draw by #EastBengal FC at the #MumbaiFootballArena. #ISL #IndianFootball
— Arunava Chaudhuri | arunfoot (@Arunfoot) December 16, 2023
