Internet Desk: Mumbai City FC and Atlético de Kolkata played out a 1-1 draw in front of almost 8,000 fans at the Mumbai Football Arena on Tuesday. The hosts took the lead in the 27th minute thanks to a brilliant strike from Matias Defederico. Pronay Halder received his marching orders from the referee in the 72nd minute to give ATK a lifeline. The visitors gladly obliged through Javi Lara, who scored his second goal of Hero Indian Super League 2016 in the 82nd minute to help the visitors earn a point.
The match started at a high tempo with the first effort on goal coming in the second minute of the match through a Leo Costa shot from distance that just flew over the crossbar as the hosts made their intentions known straight from kick-off.
ATK’s first chance of the game came three minutes later after some neat build-up play by the visitors. Juan Belencoso threaded in a beautiful ball in behind Mumbai’s backline for Iain Hume to run onto. The Canadian striker’s cross from the left found Sameehg Doutie in the box but the South African winger couldn’t produce enough power on his header to beat Roberto Volpato in Mumbai’s goal.
The hosts then rattled the frame of the goal in the 12th minute courtesy of a left-footed shot from Boithang Haokip. They didn’t have to wait too long for the opening goal of the match though.
It came in the 27th minute after Mumbai’s talisman Defederico controlled a brilliant ball from deep inside Mumbai’s half. The Argentine playmaker killed the ball with his first touch and ran at ATK’s centre-backs before unleashing a thunderous shot from the edge of the penalty box to beat Debjit Majumder and make it 1-0.
A well-worked free-kick by Lara four minutes before half-time found an onrushing Belencoso in the box. The Spanish forward’s header goal-wards, however, flew narrowly wide of the target as Mumbai kept their 1-0 lead heading into the break.
The second half began in a subdued manner with the hosts sitting deep as they looked to protect their lead. Kolkata started seeing more of the ball near the hour mark with Lara and Doutie growing increasingly influential in the wide areas.
They should have equalised in the 64th minute after skipper Borja Fernandez controlled a scuffed clearance by Mumbai inside the box before rifling it across the face of goal. Doutie got beyond his marker at the near post but failed to direct his shot on target.
The complexion of the match completely changed in the 72nd minute after Halder picked up a second yellow card for a rash tackle on Borja. ATK looked to make their man advantage count as Mumbai reshuffled in defence to keep their lead intact.
Kolkata scored the equaliser 10 minutes later after Lara cut in from the left flank and fired in a powerful shot from outside the box that took a heavy deflection of Jackichand Singh before looping into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
ATK had a double chance three minutes from full-time to win the game courtesy of a Lara corner that Tiri headed at goal. Volpato pushed the Spanish centre-back’s header straight at Stephen Pearson, who was closed down by Mumbai’s defence before he managed to get his shot away as Mumbai dropped their first points of the season.
Match awards:
Club award: Shared by both teams
Amul Fittest Player of the Match: Borja Fernandez
DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Aiborlang Khongjee
Maruti Suzuki Swift Moment of the Match: Matias Defederico
ISL Emerging Player of the Match: Boithang Haokip
Hero of the Match: Javi Lara