In an action packed match of the postponed ONGC I league round
XI played at Mumbai's Cooperage ground Mumbai FC overcame the Kolkata 
outfit Mohammedan Sporting 3-0 on Tuesday. Both the teams played
aggressively but it was Mumbai outfit that were better side and had
controlled the proceedings of the game.
Mohammedan Sporting attacked early on and got a chance to score in the
9th minute but Jyoti Kumar failed to convert the chance as he was late
in putting the ball past the defender and the Mumbai FC custodian. But
Mumbai FC known for their counter attack got their piece of share too
in the 10th minute. But Felix was late in responding to the cross that
Abel Hammond delivered from the left flank.
But the day certainly belonged to the hosts as in the 35th minute
Mumbai outfit took the lead. Riston Rodrigues received the ball just
outside the box and he placed it at far post leaving Mohammedan
Sporting custodian Tharangachan diving to his left in vain but failed
to stop the ball from entering the back of the net.
The Kolkata outfit though got chances but their problem of converting
the chances persisted and their foreigner Mike Okoro was off color and
Jyoti Kumar never got any chance to display his skills. Their wingers
were ineffective and there was a lack of coordination within the team.
Mumbai FC extended the lead in the 44th minute as Kulothungan tapped
the ball past Achan after receiving the ball from Hammond inside the
six yard box. The second blow shook the already tottering confidence
of the Kolkata outfit and Coach Shabbir Ali used all his three
substitutes but none of them proved effective enough.
With already 2-0 up there was no looking back for the Mumbai outfit
as the ball was seen more in the Mohammedan half and Mumbai outfit
strikers entering into the Kolkata den time and again. Mumbai FC took
a 3-0 lead in the 74th minute and this time also it was Hammond who
set the ball for Abhishek Yadav. Hammond's back cross from the left
flank had Abhishek Yadav unmarked and he had no problems in converting
the chance set by the Ghanian striker.
This was the fifth consecutive defeat for the Kolkata outfit in the I
League and Mumbai FC as predicted continued their winning streak from
their last encounter where they had defeated Punjab outfit JCT. The
victory will certainly boost up the confidence of Mumbai FC when they
take on Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan in the XIIth round of the I League
at the Cooperage Stadium, Mumbai on January 23.
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