by
Mumbai FC got the bragging rights in the ‘Mumbai derby’ after they defeated Air India 3-1 in a Round 23 match in the I-League football championship at the Balewadi Sports Complex on Sunday. The win helped Mumbai FC avenge their 4-1 loss in the reverse fixture.
Gabriel Fernandes put in a man of the match display as he notched up three assists and got Mumbai’s campaign back on track.
The home side got off to a brilliant start when midfielder Evans Quao sent Gabriel Fernandes clear on the left wing.
The quick footed Fernandes sent in a low cross into the box which was tapped in by captain Haroon Amiri in the second minute of the match.
Prior to this, Mumbai FC had failed to win in their last five matches while Air India are second from last.
After the early setback, the Airmen did well to come back into the game by creating decent chances and testing the Mumbai backline with goalscoring oppurtunities.
But it was the Islanders who once again came close to scoring again when Amiri took the ball from midfield and ran all the way to the Air India penalty before finding Yusif Yakubu at the edge of the box.
Yakubu teed up the unmarked Evans Quao who failed to find the target and blazed the ball above the goal.
Air India were patiently building up their attack and were efficient on the break as they consistently found space and shooting opportunities as a Junior pile-driver was punched away by Mumbai custodian Kunal Sawant in the 24th minute.
Minutes later centre back Justin Stephen lunged into a tackle outside the box to give Air India and a chance to claw back into the game.
But Junior hit straight into the wall as Mumbai started sitting back with coach Khalid Jamil putting Amiri back into defense and taking off Evans Quao for Malsawm Kima just before the break.
Air India yet again left huge gaps on their wings and Gabriel Fernandes this time cutting in from the right sent an inch perfect pass for Yakubu who made no mistake with his tap in to stretch the lead to 2-0.
Air India attacked with more urgency in the second as Junior kept threatening the Mumbai defense and a free kick from Micky Fernandes was tipped away by Sawant.
But Air India’s full backs were exposed yet again as Yakubu sent clear Fernandes on the right wing and the diminutive winger notched up his third assist when his cross was finished on a half volley by Abhishek Yadav in the 65th minute.
Yadav and Yakubu came close to scoring with the former hitting the crossbar while the Nigerian was inches away from getting his share in the victory.
Air India kept pushing and were rewarded in the stoppage time when Ezenha Henry was brought down in the box by Faizal Rehman.
Henry stepped up and sent Sawant the wrong way to get a consolation goal. With the result Air India stay at 12th position while Mumbai moved two positions up into 7th on 30 points.
