Star striker Sunil Chhetri scored a hat-trick as hosts Mumbai City FC demolished visitors NorthEast United FC 5-1 in the Indian Super League (ISL) match at the D.Y. Patil Stadium here on Wednesday, jumping to second spot in the standings.
India national team skipper Chhetri scored in 25th, 40th, 48th minute to lead the way, while teammates Sony Norde and Franz Bertin netted in the 51st and 86 respectively. Boithang Haokip scored the only goal for NorthEast in the 29th minute.
With this win Mumbai climbed to the second position in the points table with 10 points from six games, having won three, lost two and drawn one.
On the other hand, the visitors are placed on the seventh position with six points from as many games, having won two and lost four.
Marquee player-cum-manager Nicolas Anelka made two changes in the Mumbai side as Gabriel Fernandes and Juan Aguilera were replaced by Subash Singh and Frantz Bertin.
NorthEast coach Cesar Farias made a couple of changes to his side as Robin Gurung, Diomansy Kamara, Francis Dadzie and Bruno Herrero made way for Silas, marquee player Simao Sabrosa, Nicolas Velez and Boithang Haokip.
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Mumbai opened the scoring in the 25th minute via penalty. Chhetri didn't miss the golden chance to put his name in the scoring sheet right at the start.
The away side levelled things up four minutes later as Haokip's free kick was poorly defended as the ball hit the back off the net past goalkeeper Subrata Paul.
It was the Indian skipper who gave Mumbai the lead again in the 40th minute to make it 2-1 just before going to the break.
The second half got off to the worst possible start for the away team as just two minutes into the restart, Chhetri netted his third to score his first hat-trick of ISL.
The Mumbai defence was too strong for the way team to break into.
The home side made things more worse for NorthEast as Norde Aand Bertin netted in the 51st and 86 respectively to take the scoreline to 5-1 in their favour and thus seal the third consecutive victory of the season for them.
Mumbai next face defending champions Atletico de Kolkata at home on November 1, while NorthEast will next travel to the capital to face Delhi Dynamos FC on November 3.