Jamshedpur FC registered a fascinating win over Mumbai City FC 3-2 after falling a goal behind, to secure its first home victory of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season, at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Saturday
Spanish midfielder Javi Hernandez powered the comeback after Jordan Murray cancelled out Nikolaos Karelis’ strike as the Men of Steel at home ousted the Islanders mounting a comeback to take a lead into the second half after being 1-0 down.
Mumbai City FC started the game on a dominating note. In the fifth minute, it got its first opportunity when Yoell van Nieff snatched the ball from Hernandez and glanced an attempt from distance. His shot took a curl but went inches wide. Three minutes later, Jamshedpur FC earned its first positive chance after a corner was headed down by Pratik Chaudhari onto the path of Javier Siverio who laid it down for Murray.
The latter’s shot, however, was deflected out for a corner. The corner by Imran Khan was met by Tiri, whose clearance almost cost Mumbai City FC a goal as the ball deflected off the crossbar.
The action intensified in the eighth minute when Thaer Krouma won a header against Stephen Eze. The ball was collected by Nikolaos Karelis, whose shot disrupted the calmness of the net, going past goalkeeper Albino Gomes. A minute later, Karelis once again got a chance to score.
He collected a cross inside the Jamshedpur FC penalty box and tried to go past Gomes, but the keeper succeeded in clearing it, only to see the ball fall on Lallianzuala Chhangte’s feet. However, the winger’s feeble attempt was once again saved by Gomes and then cleared off by Eze.
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As the third quarter of the first half commenced, Jamshedpur FC kicked into life. Consecutive attacks and crosses from Imran Khan from the right flank finally helped Khalid Jamil’s side to restore parity, as one such cross was guided into the net by Murray. Four minutes later, Khan again sent a cross into the Islanders’ penalty box to find Siverio at the end of it. However, the Spaniard’s header was this time saved by Phurba Lachenpa.
In the 44th minute, Jamshedpur FC earned the lead after Hernandez’s free-kick caressed the back of the net. The set-piece which was taken by the midfielder from the right flank landed directly into the back of the net after some confusion and misjudgement from the Mumbai City FC defenders and Lachenpa.
Jamshedpur FC started the second half from where it left the first. It could have extended the lead in the 46th minute itself when Hernandez chipped a ball into Murray’s path. Murray was free on goal and glanced straight but Valpuia’s timely intervention averted the danger for the Islanders.
The very next minute, Stephen Eze could have scored his first goal of the season for the Men of Steel. Imran Khan confused and went past van Nieff to send in a delightful cross into the 18-yard area. However, Eze’s header from the same was flickered away by Lachenpa.
Three minutes later, Jamshedpur FC’s efforts paid off as Seiminlen Doungel set it up for Hernandez for his second goal of the evening. Doungel outwitted the Islanders’ defence and went inside the penalty box to send in a pitch-perfect cross to Hernandez’s feet. The Spaniard didn’t shy away from trying his luck and saw the ball land inside the framework, leaving a fully stretched Lachenpa devastated on the ground.
Mumbai City FC slowly started trying to get back into the game. And finally, in the 77th minute, it found an answer. Van Nieff tried some dribbling dynamics just outside the Jamshedpur penalty area and lodged a curling effort on goal, which ultimately went past Albino Gomes to reduce the lead.
In the next minutes, Petr Kratky’s side kept on piling the pressure for an equaliser but Jamshedpur FC’s disciplined backline seemed too tough to breach.
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