Mumbai City FC on Tuesday handed Bengaluru FC their third consecutive defeat with Mourtada Fall, Bipin Singh and Bartholomew Ogbeche scoring in their team’s 3-1win.
Mumbai moved to the top of the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) with 22 points after the win at the Fatorda Stadium. Bengaluru, on the other hand, remained fifth with 12 points.
Bengaluru captain Sunil Chhetri did give the 2018/19 champions some hope by converting a penalty in the 79th minute to make the scoreline 2-1. But an error from goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu paved the way for Ogbeche to score Mumbai’s third in 84th minute and put the final nail in Bengaluru’s coffin.
Fall gave Mumbai the lead in the ninth minute of the match, heading the ball into the back of the net at the end of a corner routine.
Six minutes later, Bipin Singh doubled Mumbai’s lead by acrobatically kicking the ball in at the end of a fluid passing move involving Adam Le Fondre and Mandar Rao Desai, with the latter putting in the cross that found Bipin.
Mumbai kept Bengaluru on their toes for much of the first half with Cleiton Silva’s free kick being the closest Bengaluru came to scoring before half time. Mumbai goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, however, saved the shot.
Mumbai City were unlucky to concede a penalty in the 78th minute when Silva was challenged in the box by Fall. Though the Senegalese appeared to have won the ball, the referee pointed towards the spot. Chhetri kept his composure and scored.
But Sandhu’s howler in the end last 10 minutes of normal time all but ended Bengaluru’s challenge. Ogbeche nodded in a Cy Goddard corner, which Gurpreet fumbled and let in.
There was late drama as Ahmad Jahouh received his marching orders for the second time this season, following a second booking in the match but it was too late for Bengaluru.
With IANS inputs