The home side was spearheaded by Japanese midfielder Daisuke Nishiguchi's all-round performance, which included scoring two goals and setting up the winner for Jeje Lalpekhklua at the Balewadi Sports Complex here.
Daisuke (7th) opened the scoring and then netted Pune FC's equalizer in the 51st minute after Mumbai FC struck back through Evaws Quao (17th) and ND Opara (26th). Daisuke then set up Jeje (75th) in the clear to complete Pune FC's victory.
The win took Pune FC's points tally to six and leveled Pailan Arrows. However, a better goal scored tally gives Pune FC the edge.
With the game restricted to mid-field play for most of the early stage, Pune FC went ahead in the 7th minute.
Defender Chika Wali played a defense splitting through ball to Daisuke on the right. The Japanese timed his run well to round off the advancing Mumbai FC custodian to slide the ball into the net.
Ten minutes later, it was Mumbai who equalized against the run of play. Quoa was first denied by Reds' keeper Shahinlal Meloly who brilliantly tipped over his shot from long range. On the succeeding corner, Quao headed in the corner by Nicholas Rodrigues.
Pune FC were made to pay for their scrappy defense as striker ND Opara put the Mumbaikars ahead. On back-to-back corners, the Pune FC defense failed to mark Opara at the far post as he digged his volley into the goal. Pune FC went into the breather trailing 1-2. MORE