Full-time report: Mumbai City FC won their third match on the trot after defeating NorthEast United FC 1-0 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, courtesy an early goal by Rafael Bastos.
Bastos' goal came in the fourth minute after Mumbai got a corner that kicked-off a scramble in the NorthEast box and Machado crossed into the far post from right inside the box and Bastos got a touch that took the ball over the line despite the goalkeeper trying to smother it in time.
NorthEast had a great chance in the 23rd minute when Redeem put in a fantastic cross from the right into the far post and Ogbeche made the run and got to the end of it, heading it into the far post but the ball trickled out just inches beyond the woodwork.
The first half was littered with chances like these for NorthEast United who just couldn't threaten the Mumbai half.
Mumbai got a chance to double their lead in the 39th minute when Arnold was bundled over by Grgic on the right of the NorthEast box. A dragged back low-ball found Bastos inside the box who struck it first-time and narrowly missed the target.
The second half was itself a story of two halves in which Mumbai created three really good chances before NorthEast really upped their game in the closing 15-20 minutes.
During this time, the two chances create numerous chances for themselves but couldn't get the ball in the back of the net. In the 50th minute, Sougou had a chance to double Mumbai's lead when he was released one-to-one inside the box from a headed pass and Sougou headed it but the goalkeeper made the save.
Minutes later, Mumbai again benefitted from their pressing while NorthEast were looking to play it back from the back. Bastos got the ball, came in from the right and passed it across the face of the goal with the outside of his boot which was almost turned into the NorthEast goal by a NorthEast player.
Then, in the 61st minute, Mumbai went on a fantastic counter with a fine pass from Machado that freed Issoko who himself did wonderfully to thread a pass to Sougou on the left of the box. With the goal at his mercy and only the keeper to beat, Sougou blasted the ball over the goalpost.
NorthEast again went close to scoring in the 80th minute when Ogbeche got the ball near the left post and tried to flick it in but his shot was parried out. Borges then tried to hit the half-volley from 18 yards out with the goalkeeper not in the best of positions but overpowered his shot, missing a glorious chance.
The home side kept probing in the final minutes, including the generous six minutes of injury time, but Mumbai's captain Amrinder Singh made sure his team took home all three points.
The win sends Mumbai to the third spot in the points table with 13 points from seven games while NorthEast United drop down to fifth spot with 11 points from six games.
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