ISL 2022-23: MCFC 1-0 ATKMB FC: Mumbai City withstand ATK Mohun Bagan attack in battle of nerves

It
was
the
league
leaders’ first
1-0
win
in
a
season
where
they
have
raised
the
bar
for
attacking
football,
and
it
helped
them
become
the
first
team
to
confirm
a
playoff
spot
this
season.

Mumbai
City
FC
picked
up
from
where
they’d
left
off
last
week,
becoming
an
instant
threat
at
the
start
with
their
swift
and
direct
play.
Goalkeeper
Vishal
Kaith
faced
a
barrage
of
shots
and
singlehandedly
kept
the
home
team
from
falling
behind
the
way
Kerala
Blasters
had
last
week.

Chhangte
was
through
on
goal
twice
after
shaky
defending
from
ATK
Mohun
Bagan,
and
in
almost
both
cases
was
point-blank
range
from
Kaith.
In
both
instances,
the
goalkeeper
came
out
on
top.

In
Diaz’s
absence,
Greg
Stewart
pulled
the
strings
from
the
central
forward
area,
and
soon
enough
both
him
and
Bipin
Singh
were
imposing
themselves
on
the
game
as
well.

The
home
side,
even
though
they
matched
Mumbai
City
FC
for
possession
and
got
nearly
ten
shots
away
in
the
first
half,
didn’t
manage
to
test
Phurba
Lachenpa
in
the
league
leaders’ goal.

Mumbai
City
FC’s
relentless
attack
was
bound
to
cost
ATKMB,
and
ultimately
it
was
an
error
by
Kaith
that
led
to
the
goal.
Kaith
had
Chhangte’s
long-range
shot
from
a
central
area
covered,
but
couldn’t
muster
enough
strength
with
his
left
arm
to
tip
the
ball
wide
as
the
visitors
went
1-0
up
at
half-time.

ATK
Mohun
Bagan
brought
a
lot
more
excitement
to
the
second
half
and
had
the
visitors
scrambling
early
on.
Liston
Colaco
had
the
best
of
these
after
being
slipped
into
the
right
channel
and
firing
towards
the
far
post
to
force
Lachenpa
to
stretch
one-handed
to
his
right
to
keep
it
out.

The
home
crowd
was
now
firmly
behind
their
team,
and
were
almost
given
something
to
cheer
for
in
the
58th
minute
when
Ashish
Rai
cut
one
across
the
box
for
Hugo
Boumous,
whose
first
time
shot
was
brilliantly
tipped
over
by
Lachenpa.

Mumbai
City
FC
showed
signs
of
nerves
around
this
point,
and
were
forced
to
try
and
slow
down
their
game.
It
was
then
ATKMB’s
turn
to
be
a
relentless
threat.
Between
the
64th
and
68th
minute,
particularly,
the
team
shored
up
their
fans
as
they
took
four
corners,
and
forced
three
close-range
saves
in
a
short
span.

Boumous
was
at
the
centre
of
most
of
these
plays,
without
managing
to
find
the
net
through
Mumbai
City
FC’s
backs-against-the-wall
defending.
By
the
time
he
fluffed
a
shot
over
the
goal
in
the
78th
minute,
ATKMB
had
taken
26
shots
without
success.
Only
one
more
was
to
come
as
Mumbai
City
FC
held
their
nerve
to
ultimately
take
control
and
see
off
the
game.

The
win
keeps
Mumbai
City
FC
in
first
place,
and
with
Hyderabad
FC
dropping
two
points
earlier
in
the
week,
stretches
their
lead
to
four
points.
They
face
NorthEast
United
FC
at
home
on
January
19.
ATK
Mohun
Bagan
stay
in
4th
place,
only
a
point
ahead
of
Odisha
FC
in
fifth.
They
travel
to
play
Chennaiyin
FC
on
January
21.

Key
stats:

–
Kaith
faced
9
shots
on
goal
and
made
8
saves

–
Lachenpa
faced
6
shots
and
saved
all
of
them

–
Mourtada
Fall
had
6
clearances
and
2
blocked
shots
after
coming
on
for
Rostyn
Griffiths
in
the
second
half

Source:
ISL
Media