Extending their unbeaten run to 12 matches, Mumbai City FC registered a blistering second-half performance against Odisha FC to win 4-2 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Lallianzuala Chhangte emerged as the hero of the night for the visitors, with his brace and an immaculate assist. Bipin Singh and Alberto Noguera also got on the scoresheet for Mumbai. Diego Mauricio’s two goals weren’t enough to tarnish Mumbai’s immaculate record.
Coming into the game on a six-match winning streak, the Islanders were expected to be firm favourites. However, the first half played out slightly differently. Mumbai started on the front foot, creating a couple of half-chances through Chhangte and Jorge Pereyra Diaz in the opening exchanges.
However, the first clear chance of the game presented itself in Odisha FC’s direction when Nandhakumar Sekar found himself at the end of an inch-perfect cross inside the opposition box. But the inform winger saw his snap-shot brilliantly saved by Phurba Lachenpa.
The visitors looked concerningly wasteful in the attacking third in the first. They got into dangerous positions but failed to make the most out of those opportunities. The most audacious miss from Mumbai came with just a minute left in the first half when Greg Stewart scuffed his effort even with an empty goal gaping at him.
But coming out after the break Mumbai City looked like a rejuvenated outfit. Soon, they were rewarded for their improvement too.
In the 56th minute, Chhangte was sent through down the right flank and played it to Jorge Pereyra Diaz. The Argentine forward held off his marker expertly and found the Indian winger inside the opposition box. Chhangte smashed the ball home from barely 10 yards out, which ended inside the net despite a touch from Amrinder Singh.
But the Juggernauts weren’t ready to be mere spectators to the proceedings. Diego Mauricio picked up the ball in the middle of the park before outmuscling an opposition defender and passing the ball to Victor Rodriguez. The Spaniard played it back into the Brazilian’s path with a cheeky flick and Mauricio calmly tucked it past under Phurba Lachenpa to restore parity.
However, Des Buckingham’s men turned their intensity up a notch and absolutely ripped apart the Juggernauts’ defence. Ahmed Jahouh stood over a free-kick in the 69th minute and the Moroccan drilled in a delicious effort.
