Mumbai City maintains seven-point lead at the top

MUMBAI: The unbeaten Mumbai City FC maintained a seven-point lead at the top of the Indian Super League 2022-23 table after playing out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Hyderabad FC at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Saturday.

Hyderabad desperately needed a win to help its cause in the League Shield Winners race, but was kept in check by Mumbai City and had to settle for a solitary point from the match. The second-placed HFC now has 36 points from 16 matches while table-topper MCFC has secured 43 points off 17 games and is three fixtures away from going invincible.

Back in action after a two-week break, Hyderabad produced a high-pressing game to stop a marauding Mumbai City team. But, in the 20th minute, Lallianzuala Chhangte got involved down the right flank, combining with Lalengmawia ‘Apuia’ Ralte to break into HFC’s box. That move ended with Chhangte getting his shot over the bar, but signalled a change in momentum that would eventually hurt the visitor.

In the very next minute, Chhangte was in action on the right once again. This time, he held the ball under pressure and chipped it across the face of the goal for Bipin Singh, whose header on target was kept out illegally by Nikhil Poojary’s hand.

Jorge Pereyra Diaz stepped up to take the penalty and drilled it into the roof of the net to move into double-figures in goals for the season. The home side proceeded to take control of the ball from there on, with Hyderabad struggling to find chances to counter-attack.

In the second half, it was initially Mumbai City which created chances that Hyderabad was able to stop. The visitor found its first big opening in the 65th minute to find the equaliser. Against the run of play, holding midfielder Hitesh Sharma saw a space to run into, between the defenders on their left side. Mohammad Yasir played him in from the wing and the young midfielder kept his cool to lift the ball into a narrow opening at the near post.

Hyderabad kept the pressure on, with Bartholomew Ogbeche and substitute Halicharan Narzary testing the host from range. Mumbai City brought on Greg Stewart with the match approaching its end and the Scotsman came close to producing the winner in the 83rd minute. He brought down Bipin’s cross from an awkward height and juggled the ball to turn the defenders away, only to have his close-range poke saved brilliantly by Gurmeet Singh.

That turned out to be the last chance of note for the home team and the game eventually ended in a draw as neither defence relented.

RESULT: Mumbai City FC 1 (JP Diaz 23 (P)) drew with Hyderabad FC 1 (Hitesh 65)