ISL 2021-22: Irshad’s goal holds Mumbai City FC to a 1-1 draw against NorthEast United FC

MCFC did not get the three points it came looking for, but it returned to the familiar territory of top-four with 18 points from 12 games.

Players greet each other after the match.

Mumbai City FC’s pursuit for a win extended to six games as NorthEast United held it to a 1-1 draw at the PJN Stadium on Tuesday.

Des Buckingham’s side broke the deadlock initially, with Ahmed Jahouh, scoring from the spot in a match that missed its key striker Igor Angulo in action.

Mumbai City FC began controlling the game from kick-off and did not have to wait long for a breakthrough as Vikram Pratap Singh earned a penalty at the brink of the cooling break in the first half as a result of poor refereeing.

The Indian forward made a run into the NEUFC box and went down after kicking NEUFC defender Mashoor Shereef, after which the referee pointed to the spot instead of awarding a free-kick in NEUFC’s favour and Jahouh put Mumbai in front with a calm finish.

AS IT HAPPENED: Mumbai City FC vs NorthEast United FC Highlights

After the goal, it was a tale of lost opportunities for Mumbai and some great goalkeeping from NEUFC captain, Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, who had returned to the side after over a month.

Subhasish pulled off two key saves, one in each half, off Cassio Gabriel and Australian Bradden Inman missed an open goal late in the second half to keep Mumbai’s goal tally to just one.

Khalid Jamil’s men put their foot on the gas in the second half and got their results when ‘super-sub’ Mohamed Irshad buried the ball in the bottom corner, after receiving the ball from a corner kick, helping NEUFC claw back into the match.

The night got worse for Mumbai when Amey Ranawade got his second yellow card in the last minutes of the second half, reducing the side to 10-men.

Though MCFC did not get the three points it came looking for, it returned to the familiar territory of top-four with 18 points from 12 games.