Playwin-Mumbai FC seemed to have saved their best for last. The Mumbai club produced their best ever performance this season and finished in grand fashion inflicting an authoritative 4-0 defeat on debutants DSK Shivajians in the concluding I-League match at the Cooperage ground on Sunday evening.
Mumbai FC midfielder Eric Brown scores the second goal against DSK Shivajians during the concluding I-League match at the Cooperage .
Jayesh Rane (20th minute), Eric Brown (22nd & 90th) and Sushil Kumar Singh (38th) got the goals, which helped the Mumbai side clinch a deserving victory and avoid relegation.
This was the fourth win for Mumbai FC, who finished with 19 points and in fifth position, their best ever finish in this competition. Last season the Mumbai club ended sixth in the competition. They will now meet Sporting Clube de Goa, who had finished in fourth place, in the opening round of the Federation Cup, which is scheduled to commence from April 30.
On the other hand, Shivajians had nothing to lose as they have a three-year immunity from relegation. Debutants Aizwal FC were relegated to Second Division next season.
Mumbai FC coach Khalid Jamil was over-excited and jubilant after the victory. “After a good start to the season we missed quite a few players due to injuries, especially during the away matches against Sporting Clube de Goa and Aizwal FC, which we lost. But, we managed stay afloat and finished a creditable fifth,” said Jamil at the post match press conference.
‘But I am a bit disappointed as I had promised to finish among the top four before the start of the competition,” Jamil said in a lighter vein.
Shivajians coach Derrick Pereira blamed complacency was the reason for defeat. “We took Aizwal too lightly in the previous game and carried the same attitude to this game. Our midfield simply did not function and Mumbai FC capitalized on their chances and won the game,” Pereira admitted.
The Mumbai side, facing the drop started positively and aggressively. They showed a good build up towards the rival citadel and came close to taking the lead in the very sixth minute but, Rane despite making a concerted effort failed to direct the ball into the goal.
However, it did not take the Mumbai team too long to forge ahead and finally found the target when Junior India striker Rane with a clinical finish drew first blood for the home side in the 20th minute. Overlapping wing back Ashutosh Mehta floated the ball into the rival area for Rane who trapped the ball and coolly beat Shivajians goalkeeper Subrata Paul with a neat low placement to the right corner.
Two minutes later Mumbai FC found more success with hard-working medio Eric Brown scoring from a snap effort. Steven Dias initiated the move with a clever back-heel to put Hitesh Sharma in the clear on the right flank. The latter advanced deep and sent in a low centre, the ball deflected off a defender and fell perfectly into the path of Brown who with an on the run shot smashed the ball past a hapless Paul to double the lead.
Mumbai continued to relent and from another well-orchestrated move which was complimented with an equally brilliant effort by Sushil Kumar Singh led to the third goal in the 38th minute. Once again Dias started the move, this time from inside his own half, as he put Brown in possession near the half line. Brown did well to hold on to the ball and smartly evaded a couple of tackles from the rival defenders before setting up Kumar who chased the ball and fired to the top right corner giving Paul no chance to make a save.
The visitors did not create too many chances in the first half and just one attempt in the first half when Sampath Kuttimani ballooned over from inside the box in the 43rd minute.
The second half was more or less on similar lines as the first with the home team holding the upper hand. But during this period the Pune outfit showed more urgency but could not create too many opening a put the rival defence under pressure.
Mumbai FC struck the fourth goal through Brown in the 90th minute. The Liberian midfoielder Brown was later adjudged ‘Man-of-the-match’ and received a cheque of Rs 10,000.
Results –Mumbai FC 4 (Jayesh Rane 20th, Eric Brown 22nd, 90th, Sushil Kumar Singh 38th) beat DSK Shivajians FC 0.
Man-of-the-match: Eric Brown (Mumbai FC).