ISL 2022-23, Matchday 14: Mumbai City FC blazes past Kerala Blasters 4-0; regains top spot
ISL 2022-23: Matchday 14 of the event ended on Sunday. In the final game of the same, Mumbai City pummelled Kerala Blasters 4-0, as the former regained the top spot in the points table.
FollowMumbai City (MCFC) registered a commanding 4-0 win against Kerala Blasters to move to the top of the Indian Super League table at the Mumbai Football Arena on Sunday. The win ended KBFC's eight-match unbeaten run and vaulted MCFC back to the top of the table, as they brought up a league record eight wins in a row. The visitors tried to keep pace with MCFC for the opening ten minutes of the game but couldn't keep MCFC's relentless frontline at bay. In the fourth minute, Bipin Singh received a long ball from the back on the wings and played a one-two with Greg Stewart to break into the box. His shot was saved by Prabhsukhan Gill, but the deflection fell in the path of Jorge Diaz, who swept the ball home for the first of his two goals.
Some close tackles ensued in midfield immediately after, but just as the Blasters seemed to have lifted themselves, Stewart was on hand to deflate them in the 10th minute. This time it was Lallianzuala Chhangte who received a long diagonal pass on the opposite wing before floating it into the box for Stewart, who got to the ball before Gill nodded it home.
Before the Blasters could regroup, another long ball split its defence. Mehtab Singh found Diaz's run in the channels, and the striker held it up in the box before cutting it back for Bipin on the left. The winger took his time before curling the ball into the top left corner.
Diaz then put the fixture to bed in the 22nd minute, running onto a through ball from Ahmed Jahouh and finding the net via a deflection off Victor Mongil. KBFC's commitment to attack meant the fixture seemed to have gotten away from it before it could react. The result comes as a strong statement from MCFC in the title race, with the Blasters being the most in-form team alongside it this season coming into the match.
(With inputs from PTI)
