Raising their game up by several notches and putting up a gallant display in the second period, Mumbai FC had their fair share of chances to script a win against a buoyant East Bengal. But, lack of finishing cost the Mumbai team success and they were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw from this 15th round I-League encounter, that was played at the at the Barasat District Sports Stadium, Kolkata on Tuesday evening.
Seasoned midfielder Steve Dias scored from a free-kick to put the Mumbai side in front in the 15th minute before Ranti Martins, the leading scorer in the competition with 12 goals, found the equalizer for the Kolkata side in the 25th minute. The home side then snatched the advantage when Frenchman Bernard Mendy struck in the 59th minute to give East Bengal a 2-1 lead. However, Mumbai FC continued to push forward and succeeded in restoring parity with defender Ashutosh Mehta heading home Jayesh Rane’s free-kick from the left side.
This proved to a valuable for Mumbai FC, who now with 13 points from 14 matches, have moved away from the bottom and climbed to the seventh position behind Salgaocar SC also with the same number of points but with a game in hand, in the nine-team standings. DSK Shivajians also with 13 points from 12 games are placed eight ahead of bottom placed Aizwal FC with 12 points.
Coach Khalid Jamil decided to play goalkeeper Kunal Sawant and medio Steven Dias for the suspended Pawan Kumar and Eric Brown respectively. Jamil also started with Pratik Chowdhary for Anwar Ali in the central defence with Min-Chol Son.
Mumbai FC not only matched their rivals from Kolkata but created the better scoring opportunities. Had strikers Sushil Kumar Singh, Ryuki Kozawa, skipper Taisuke Matsugae, Izumi Arata and Dias been a bit more sharper and capitalized on the chances they could have trooped out worthy winners. The Mumbai citadel also survived a couple of close shaves.
Mumbai FC will now return back home to play their remaining two games against Shillong Lajong (April 17) and DSK Shivajians (April 24).
Results – East Bengal 1 (Ranti Martins 25th, Bernard Mendy 59th, ) Mumbai FC 1 (Steven Dias 15th, Ashutosh Mehta 77th).