ISL 2: NorthEast United pay penalty, lose 5-1 to Mumbai City FC

Mumbai: The match started off on a low-key with fatigue catching up on Mumbai City FC for they were playing their second game in three days. But the score line told a different tale at the end of 90 minutes, after the home side dominated proceedings, here the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, when a Sunil Chhetri hat-trick, Haitian star Sony Norde’s addition to the goal scorer’s list and a finishing one from skipper Frantz Bertin saw the Ranbir Kapoor co-owned outfit hammer NorthEast United FC 5-1 in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Wednesday.

India’s top goal scorer Chhetri now becomes the first Indian to score a hat-trick in the glamorous ISL and also shares the Golden Boot (six goals in four games) with Chennaiyin FC’s Steven Mendonza.  The win has also powered Mumbai to the second spot in the table with ten points after six games ahead of FC Goa.

Mumbai made only one change to their team that has been performing brilliantly for them. Bertin replaced Juan Aguilera in the midfield. NorthEast United FC’s Head Coach Cesar Farias however made four changes to the team that beat reigning champions Atletico de Kolkata in their last match.

Mumbai were the first to register a shot at the goal but Norde missed it completely. NorthEast too had their chances but Nicolas Velez failed to hit the target from a rather tight angle after his volley from the left post went all the way across the face of the goal.

Mumbai’s goal fest started off with a penalty when Subhash Singh sent a cross from a right. Carlos Lopez jumped to make the block. The ball struck his outstretched arm and the referee awarded a penalty to Mumbai which worked for Chhetri in the 25th minute.

Within no time after four minutes, NorthEast somehow managed to find the equaliser when Boithang Haokip squeezed a free kick from a pretty acute angle. Mumbai custodian Subrata Paul could have saved it but was unsighted by the bodies in front of him.

From there on, it was Mumbai all the way. The 40th minute saw football at its best from Norde, Subhash and Chhetri.

Norde sent a cross to the far post where Subhash knocked it back into the middle. Chhetri had an open goal to aim at as the keeper had left his line to catch the ball and he didn’t miss.

Call it fate or a stroke of luck, Mumbai were awarded yet another penalty when Andre Bikey handled the ball in the box. Chhetri was at it again as he blasted the ball into the bottom left corner. The NorthEast goalkeeper Rehenesh TP went the right way but the ball was too hot for him to handle. The scoreline read Mumbai 3-1 NorthEast.

Mumbai were not done. Norde got his name on the score sheet after a clever fake shot put the keeper off and he then calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net. In the meanwhile, Chhetri almost found his fourth goal when Frederic Piquionne freed the latter who took a touch before blasting the ball onto the crossbar with a shot from outside the box.

And finally, Bertin summed up the goal spree.

It all started from a corner which Chhetri earned after seeing his shot deflected behind by the keeper. Norde swung the ball into the box where Bertin was unmarked. The Mumbai skipper headed it into the goal from point blank range to make it 5-1. It was horrible defending by NorthEast as they just stood and watched as Bertin put it in with utmost ease.

Mumbai, who have now won all their three home games will look to finish off on a high when they face defending champions ATK on November 1 before Nicolas Anelka and the boys hit the road.