ISL: Mumbai City FC blank Chennaiyin FC, seal semis spot

Mumbai: Mumbai City FC registered their first ever win over defending champions Chennaiyin FC to assure themselves a place in the Indian Super League semi-finals for the first time, crushing the struggling visitors 2-0 at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Wednesday.

Argentine winger Matias Defederico scored in the 32nd minute and Hungarian forward Krisztian Vadocz doubled up in the 60th minute. Sunil Chhetri missed two clear chances while substitute Thiago Dos Santos Cunha also squandered an opportunity towards the end.

Marquee player Diego Forlan wasn’t on the scoresheet this time but was at the heart of many moves and created three clear chances besides one goal assist.
By virtue of this sixth win, Mumbai City now have now gone five points clear of second placed Delhi Dynamos with 22 points and have a game remaining in the league at the same venue. This was virtually a knock-out punch for the defending champions who now face a Herculean task to keep their faint semi-final hopes alive, stranded in seventh place with 14 points in 12 games.

Mumbai City got their  opening when the trio of Vadocz, Chhetri and Defederico combined for the first goal. Vadocz played it through to Chhetri in the box before the Indian striker helped by a slight deflection picked Defederico out, the Argentine winger slotting in from close range after sending goalkeeper Karanjit Singh the wrong way. It was the 100th goal in this season of the ISL.

Just before the break, Forlan’s curling free-kick was well kept out by a diving Karanjit. Vadocz doubled the lead exactly on the hour after he controlled a loopy Forlan cross from the right with his chest and unleashed a scorching rightfooter to find the back of the net.

Chhetri had two clear chances to kill off the game after Forlan put him through but he was poor in finishing.

Goa need full points against ATK

As they seek to somehow qualify for the semis, FC Goa will need nothing less than three points against Atletico de Kolkata at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Thursday. Goa are last in the league with 11 points from 11 matches and need to win their remaining three matches to have any realistic chance of qualifying for the play-offs.

Goa chief coach Zico believes chances of qualification are still in their own hands and is hoping they stay alive till the end.ATK are third with 15 points from 11 matches and Molina will have to inspire his team to a win, rather than the draws they have managed in the last three matches, including against defending champions Chennaiyin FC.