When the two titans of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 collide, you don’t expect anything less than drama, excitement and enthrallment. And that’s what panned out at the Mumbai City Arena yesterday.
Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC played out a 1-1 draw and the Islanders are now frontrunners to grab the ISL League Shield. It seems a tad impossible for 2nd placed Hyderabad FC to lay their hands on the prized silverware as they have a 7-point difference, having played 1 game less.
In the 21st minute of the game, Mumbai City FC had a solid chance to score the first goal. Lallianzuala Chhangte whipped in a looping cross from the right wing and it found Bipin Singh near the goal. His downward header deflected off Nikhil Poojary but his hand came in between and the home side was awarded a penalty.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz did not disappoint as he banged the ball down the middle and Mumbai City FC took the lead in this crunch encounter.
After a little bit of drama in the dying minutes of the first half where Sanjeev Stalin pulled back Bartholomew Ogbeche, the left back was eventually given a yellow card.
The official initially was planning on giving a red card for that violent move from Stalin. But after having a conversation with his other official, the referee decided to flash a yellow card to the Mumbai City FC player.
ISL’s leading goal-scorer Bartholomew Ogbeche took the free-kick but his shot went sailing off the post. The half-time score-line read 1-0 in favour of Mumbai City FC.
In the 64th minute, Hitesh pulled off a stunning goal from the right flank. Against the run of play, Hitesh Sharma slotted the ball behind the net, to give the visitors the equaliser.
In the 83rd minute, Greg Stewart’s close-range shot was exceptionally stopped by Hyderabad FC’s goalkeeper, Gurmeet Singh.
With this, both the matches between the two heavyweights in this ISL 2022-23 season ended in a draw. The reverse fixture’s score-line had read 3-3 and this fixture’s score-line was 1-1.
Squads
Mumbai City FC
Phurba Lachenpa, Mohammad Nawaz, Ravi Kumar, Vikram Lakhbir Singh, Rahul Bheke, Amey Ranawade, Mehtab Singh, Mohamad Rakip, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy, Mourtada Fall, Valpuia, Mandar Rao Desai. Cassio Gabriel, Bradden Inman, Ahmed Jahouh, Raynier Fernandes, Vinit Rai, Naorem Tndomba Singh, Chanso Horam, Asif Khan, Apuia Ralte, Gyamar Nikum, Vikram Partap Singh, Igor Angulo, Pranjal Bhumij, Bipin Singh, Greg Stewart, Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Hyderabad FC
Laxmikant Kattimani, Gurmeet Singh, Lalbiakhlua Jongte; Aman Kumar Sahani, Chinglensana Konsham, Odei Onaindia, Nim Dorjee Tamang, Akash Mishra, Manoj Mohammad, Soyal Joshy, Alex Saji, Joao Victor, Mohammad Yasir, Sweden Fernandes, Sahil Tavora, Lalchungnunga Chhangte, Hitesh Sharma, Halicharan Narzary, Borja Herrera, Nikhil Poojary, Abdul Rabeeh, Mark Zothanpuia, Joel Chianese, Aaren D’Silva, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Rohit Danu, Javier Siverio.
Also read: ISL 2022-23: Jamshedpur FC Push NorthEast United FC Further Into A Slump; Win 2-0
