Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) Jorge Pereyra Diaz scored a brace to guide Mumbai City FC to a comfortable 4-1 win over FC Goa and consolidate their position at the top of the Indian Super League standings here on Thursday.
Diaz scored in the 16th and 48th minutes, while Lallianzuala Chhangte (42nd) and Alberto Noguera (55th) completed the rout.
Iker Guarrotxena (22nd) scored the only goal for the Gaurs in the first half.
It was a fourth win on the trot for the Islanders who now went five points clear of Hyderabad FC (16 points) at the top of the table. Hyderabad FC have played one match less than MCFC.
FC Goa, on the other hand, slipped to sixth spot with 12 points from eight matches.
Des Buckingham’s broke the deadlock in the 16th minute when Diaz netted his fifth goal of the season after receiving the ball in Goa’s box and side-stepping Valiente.
It served as a wake-up call of sorts for the Gaurs, who intensified their attacks and were rewarded for it six minutes later.
Tlang was in the thick of things once again as he latched on to a long ball from the midfield and laid it off for Guarrotxena just outside the box.
The 29-year-old, in turn, fired straight at Lachenpa who spilled the ball into the net to gift Pena’s men the equaliser.
One opportunity that Pena’s men would surely regret would be that of Vazquez, who shot straight at the keeper from a one-on-one situation.
At the other end, Chhangte scored in the 41st minute to restore the Islanders’ lead from a brilliant through ball from Apuia.
Returning from the half-time break, Mumbai City stepped up quickly, and in three minutes, Diaz scored another goal.
Chhangte quickly found the Argentine on the left side, who took his time and finished comfortably into the far post.
Former FC Goa midfielder Alberto Noguera hit the final nail in the coffin in the 55th minute.
As the Gaurs looked to fight back, they were dealt a body blow when veteran midfielder Edu Bedia was dismissed in the 79th minute.
Source: PTI News
