Mumbai City FC Secures Victory Over East Bengal With Thrilling 87th-Minute Goal In ISL

Mumbai City FC (MCFC) secured a hard-fought victory against East Bengal FC (EBFC) with a scoreline of 3-2 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. Despite conceding 55% possession to East Bengal FC, MCFC proved to be more clinical in the attacking third by registering eight shots on target compared to the five from the home team. This win propelled the Islanders (MCFC) from the seventh position to the fifth spot in the league standings. In the first half, Mumbai City FC showcased their offensive prowess by making 12 touches inside East Bengal FC's box within the initial 45 minutes. A standout moment in the game came in the 28th minute when Nikolaos Karelis attempted a powerful header from close range, only to see it blocked on the goal line following a well-executed corner kick by MCFC. Tiri set up Karelis with a header on the far post, but unfortunately, the Greek forward's effort was unable to find the back of the net, as mentioned in an ISL report.

Eleven minutes later, the visitors pulled off another flawless sequence from the back, with their defensive unit initiating the attack. Brandon Fernandes picked the ball from Vikram Partap Singh at the centre from distance. Immediately, Brandon carved open the East Bengal FC defence with a slick through-ball intended for Lallianzuala Chhangte. The attacker took a fine touch, before he deposited it into the bottom left corner with a fierce right-footed shot to break the deadlock. EBFC 0 - 1 MCFC

They capitalised on this momentum, with Yoell van Nieff coming to the fore with a similar delivery that swung past the gaps in the East Bengal FC backline. This time around, the ball was directed to Karelis, who took an instant shot that was stopped by Prabhsukhan Singh Gill. However, the striker latched on to the rebound, placing the ball into the bottom right corner in the 43rd minute to double their lead. EBFC 0 - 2 MCFC

The home side regained their attacking intensity as soon as the second essay of the game began though. They didn't let the Islanders settle and dictate the offensive endeavours as was the case in the first half. Naorem Mahesh Singh put pressure on the Mumbai City FC defence with an industrious effort in the 66th minute down the left flank. The Petr Kratky-coached team fell short of clearing the ball out, which instead ended up landing at Dimitrios Diamantakos' feet on the right post. The striker tried for a lateral pass from close range, but Mumbai City FC's Sahil Panwar got in the way and struck the ball inside his own net, reducing the deficit for the Red & Gold Brigade. EBFC 1 - 2 MCFC

East Bengal FC started stretching the Islanders' defence thereafter, going out wide, exploring spaces at the centre, and winning the occasional set-piece to put the opposition behind. In the 83rd minute, a corner kick led to the equaliser for the Kolkata-based side. The Islanders wore a disorganised look for a brief while and it was enough for the Oscar Bruzon-coached unit to pounce upon. By pushing sheer numbers ahead, they overwhelmed the Mumbai City FC backline in their own box. Hector Yuste showed his smarts by using his head to lay a ball on David Lalhlansanga's path at the centre of the box, and the latter used his left foot to send the ball into the bottom left corner. EBFC 2 - 2 MCFC

East Bengal FC's joy was short-lived though, as Mumbai City FC snatched the winner four minutes later, with Karelis bagging his brace. The Islanders had Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) graduate Nathan Rodrigues unlock the Red & Gold Brigade defence with a well-paced delivery down the centre of the box from the left flank. Hijazi Maher couldn't intercept and thwart the threat, resulting in Karelis picking the ball swiftly and caressing it into the bottom left corner to secure all three points for his team. EBFC 2 - 3 MCFC

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East Bengal FC's next match will be the Kolkata Derby against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on January 11, whereas Mumbai City FC are set to feature against Jamshedpur FC on January 12.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)