Follow the HIGHLIGHTS from the Indian Super League match between Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City FC, being played at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi.
Mumbai City FC is in the second position on the ISL 2022-23 points table after this win. Mumbai now has eight points from four matches. MCFC dominated almost all aspects of the game. Aside from the goals from Mehtab and Diaz, it has had Stewart's dominating presence in the midfield. The goalkeeper, Phurba, has also done an amazing job, especially in the second half, saving a double attack from KBFC. Luna and Diamantakos are just unlucky to miss the goals. While Luna's shot hit the post, Diamantakos saw his stunner finding Phurba's hands. KBFC remains at the ninth position with the win of the first game and three defeats.
KBFC must be disappointed to lose this match in front of its fans. It will look to make a comeback against NorthEast United on November 5. Till then, stay tuned with us for more updates. ATK Mohun Bagan takes on East Bengal in Saturday’s big game.
Mumbai City FC registers its second win of the season. Kerala Blasters suffers its third defeat in ISL 2022-23. Mehtab Singh and Pereyra Diaz’s first-half goals are enough for MCFC to beat KBFC for the seventh time in the 17th meeting.
Chance for KBFC! Luna’s shot misses the target by just a few inches. KBFC makes two last-minute changes. KBFC 0-2 MCFC.
Two changes by KBFC
Six minutes have been added to the second half.
Kaliuzhnyi is in the MCFC box fighting for control of the ball. He goes down and appeals for a penalty. The referee rejects it. But Stewart indeed touches his leg. Anyway, it is a goal kick.
Yellow card for KBFC’s Ivan Kaliuzhnyi.
Corner for MCFC. Prabhsukhan tries to clear the ball. But it has no power. It just goes back into play in the KBFC box. Both sides jostle for the ball. MCFC takes a shot in the rebound, but no damage.
Two changes by MCFC
Mourtada Fall (IN)
Ahmed Jahouh (OUT)
Vinit Rai (IN)
Apuia (OUT)
Yellow card for Alberto Noguera
Chance for KBFC! Two glorious chances for Kerala Blasters, but it fails to make use of it. Luna’s shot from the box hits the post and then in rebound Diamantakos takes a shot. Phurba saves it and the ball goes out of play.
Ruivah Hormipam replaces Sahal Abdul Samad. Ivan Kaliuzhnyi comes in place of Victor Mongil.
Puitea takes the corner kick but no danger. Phurba makes the clearance. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
Mehtab Singh goes down. He clears Samad’s long ranger with a header in the box. The ball goes out of play. It seems Mehtab sustains a minor injury. He is currently receiving medical attention on the pitch.
Pereyra Diaz goes off the pitch. Alberto Noguera replaces him.
Chance for Kerala Blasters! Diamantakos finds a through ball near the box. Pulling the sprint, he beats MCFC players and takes a brisk grounded shot. But no damage. Phurba makes a great save. The ball goes out of play. Corner kick for KBFC. KBFC 0-2 MCFC.
A beautiful through ball for Puitea. He sends a sharp cross in the MCFC box from the left flank. A good chance for KBFC, but no Luna’s header misses the target. It is wayward and a goal kick for MCFC. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
Off-side! KBFC goes on the attack. Marko tries to grab the ball. But the linesman calls it offside. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
MCFC is on the attack! Bipin in the middle gets a ball and passes it to Stewart. He takes a left-footed shot and fires it over the top corner. Prabhsukhan makes a great save and punches it away.
Second half begins
The first-half ends. Mumbai City FC leads the match 2-0 against Kerala Blasters. Mehtab Singh's strike in the 21st minute and Pereyra Diaz's goal in the 31st minute help MCFC take the lead.
Kerala Blasters fails to make the chances count in the attacking third as Mumbai defenders keep the side in check. At the same time, poor defending cost it two goals.
One minute has been added to the first half.
A through pass for Rahul KP. He goes on attack and takes a shot. Phurba makes a stunning save and the ball goes out of play. Corner kick for KBFC. But no damage. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
Chance for MCFC! Diaz takes the shot from outside the box. But no damage. His shot goes over the crossbar. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
Bipin gets a through ball in the box. He sends a cross in the box and it deflected off. Apuia comes in to take the shot near the box. The ball goes out of play.
Free-kick for KBFC. MCFC brings down Puitea. Luna takes the shot. He places the ball right in the box. But Phurba comes in line to clear the danger. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
GOAL! MCFC makes it 2-0. Bipin gets a ball in the middle. He passes it to Stewart, who sends a through pass to Pereyra Diaz. Poor defending by KBFC. Two players in the box. Prabhsukhan has no support. It is PEREYRA DIAZ who scores with a push. KBFC 0-2 MCFC
Greg Stewart’s pass to Rahul Bheke on the right flank. Bheke sends a left-footed cross in the KBFC box. Prabhsukhan clears the danger. He collects it over his head.
Corner kick for MCFC. Ahmed takes the kick. It lands in the middle of the penalty area, KBFC fails to clear the ball and it is GOAL. MEHTAB SINGH strikes, and MCFC takes lead. KBFC 0-1 MCFC
Long ball for Rahul KP. He grabs it in the right flank and rushes into the Mumbai box. He takes the shot, but Phurba punches it away.
Bipin’s shot hits Khabra, and the ball goes out of play. Throw in for MCFC. Khabra is at the corner and back heels it to play. KBFC clears the danger. KBFC 0-0 MCFC
Greg Stewart is helping MCFC take control of the midfield and plays accurate passes around the KBFC box. Chhangte cuts in to find a space and takes a shot and it goes over the crossbar. KBFC 0-0 MCFC
It is a counterattacking game so far. Both sides are going on the attack, but the score remains 0-0.
Cross from Rahul KP in the box, but Samad cannot reach the spot on time. The ball goes out of play
MCFC goes on an attack! Mehtab sends a long ball to the right flank and Bipin smartly dabs it to Ahmed inside the box. He passes it to Diaz who finds Stewart. Jessel intercepts. Apuia takes a shot in a rebound. But it geos over the crossbar.
Free kick for Kerala Blasters! MCFC player pulls down Rahul KP. KBFC goes on the attack. But no chance for Samad. Rahul Bheke clears the danger from the left post.
Mumbai City FC kicks off the game. Back pass to goalkeeper Phurba.
A capacity Nehru Stadium welcomes players. Kerala Blasters are in its traditional home kits - yellow and blue and Mumbai City FC dons sky blue kits. MCFC captain Rahul Beke and his KBFC counterpart Jessel exchange their respective club emblems and complete the formality, posing for a photograph with the match officials.
KERALA BLASTERS: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (goalkeeper), Harmanjot Khabra, Marko Leskovic, Víctor Mongil Adeva, Jessel Allen Carneiro (captain), Puitea, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Rahul KP, Adrian Luna, Sahal Abdul Samad, Dimitrios Diamantakos
Mumbai City FC: Phurba Lachenpa (goalkeeper), Rahul Bheke (captain), Rostyn Griffiths, Mehtab Singh, Sanjeev Stalin, Ahmed Jahouh, Apuia Ralte, Greg Stewart, Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Jorge Pereyra Diaz
Host Kerala Blasters started its ISL 2022-23 campaign with a rollicking 3-1 win over East Bengal at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi. But since that opening match of the season, it failed to live up to the expectations as two losses followed. In the second match, which was a home game, ATK Mohun Bagan pounded Kerala Blasters to a 5-2 defeat. In the third match, which was an away match, the Blasters suffered a 1-2 defeat to Odisha FC.
Mumbai City FC, on the other hand, so far has not lost any matches. It started the campaign with a 3-3 draw against Hyderabad FC in an away game. In the second game, MCFC beat Odisha FC 2-0 during a home fixture. But in its third game, which was a home game, Jamshedpur FC held MCFC to a 1-1 draw.
Mumbai City FC is currently fourth on the points table with one win and two draws, while Kerala Blasters are struggling at the ninth position with two losses and a win.
Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City FC played 16 matches against each other. MCFC led the head-to-head record with six wins, while KBFC emerged as the winner on four occasions. The remaining six ended in draws.
PREVIEW
With just three games done, it’s still a sort of ‘getting to know each other’ phase for many teams in the Indian Super League. And Kerala Blasters, who began the season with a nice win but lost the last two matches, will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they play Mumbai City FC at the Nehru Stadium here on Friday.
“Last year, in the first part of the season, everybody wanted to see how the other teams were performing, other teams’ styles. And in the first half (of last game against Odisha FC which Blasters lost), we wanted to see that part,” said Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic on Thursday.
Also Read | ISL 2022-23, Kerala Blasters vs Mumbai City FC: Live streaming info, head-to-head, predicted XI, form guide
“In the second half, we lost the grip on the game in the duels. Tactically speaking, there was nothing special that we were suffering, just the fact that we were losing these crucial duels by conceding goals from throw-in or losing duels and that leads you to concede goals. We must avoid those moments and fight for every so called ‘second ball’.”
He said the unbeaten Mumbai (1 win, two draws) is always one of the biggest title contenders.
“It always comes with a clear point of view that they want to win every game, they want to fight for the title,” said Vukomanovic.
“Last year, we managed to play two good games against them (Blasters won both home and away). This year, it’s completely different because last year is history,” said the coach.
Meanwhile Mumbai head coach Des Buckingham said his side has to be at its best against last year’s runners-up Blasters.
“We know the qualities that Kerala has, we’ve got to be on top of our game to stop that and we also need to continue showing the football that we have done,” he said.
-STAN RAYAN
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