ISL 2018-19 Semi Final Match Highlights, Mumbai City FC vs FC Goa Football Match: Five-star Goa put five past Mumbai

Mumbai City 1 – 5 FC Goa (FT)

And that’s that! FC Goa have done a real number on Mumbai tonight. It’s been a long night for the men in blue, who struggled to cope with the ferocity of a relentless FC Goa attack. 

A mountainous task awaits Mumbai in Fatorda, and they will have to bring their very best if they have any chance of reaching the ISL 2018-19 final.

Mumbai City 1 – 5 FC Goa

Hugo Boumous sets up a sweet goal for Brandon Fernandes with an incredible defence-splitting pass! The Indian does well to sneak the ball into goal from a tight angle, curling it past an onrushing Amrinder Singh! 

A difficult task just became nigh impossible for Mumbai City FC. Jorge Costa’s post-match press conference should be interesting.

Mumbai City 1 – 4 FC Goa

75' Substitution for Goa:

Boumous enters the pitch to replace Ahmed Jahouh

MUM 1-4 GOA

LIVE: https://t.co/bDwAL2n2sr #MUMGOA

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) March 9, 2019

Mumbai City 1 – 4 FC Goa

Mumbai have picked themselves off the floor and are attempting to force their way back into the match. Mathias Mirabaje tests Naveen Kumar with a dipping free kick, with Arnold Issoko and Lucian Goian miss relatively straightforward headers from ensuing corners. They have fifteen minutes to chip away at the massive task that awaits them in the second leg.

Mumbai City 1 – 4 FC Goa

Rafael Bastos is so done with this match. He’s subbed off for Mirabaje but instead of walking towards the dug out, the trudges behind the goal and sits on one of the chairs meant for the ballboys.

Mumbai City 1 – 4 FC Goa

Goa nearly have a fifth. Seriton first hits the post before Brandon lets one fly from distance. Amrinder has to make a desperate dive to divert the ball away from the top corner.

Mumbai City 1 – 4 FC Goa

A rare break in the play. The Mumbai shoulders are slumped. Subhashish and Joyner, who failed to mark Fall for that goal, remonstrate between themselves. The wind has been knocked out of this Mumbai side. The West Coast Brigade has fallen silent. The little pocket of Goa fans, however, are making enough noise for the entire stadium.

Mumbai City 1 – 4 FC Goa

FC Goa are relentless! Mourtada Fall scores his second goal from a corner! The Gaurs are in cruise control at the Mumbai Football Arena, weaving excellent patterns with their intricate passing and giving Mumbai City FC the run-around.

The corner comes about thanks to a thunderous shot from Jackichand Singh, which a flailing Amrinder palms onto the crossbar. Brandon Fernandes whips in a flat ball from the corner flag, and Fall bursts through a gaggle of ball-watching Mumbai defenders to power in a header.

Mumbai City 1 – 3 FC Goa

Ferran Corominas makes it three with a header at the far corner, as Jackichand bags an assist. That was probably the best team goal scored this season. The move started near Goa’s corner and they sliced through the Mumbai press with quick short passes. Once again the Mumbai defence switched off and Coro had a free header at the back post. Beautiful football from the Gaurs.

FC Goa are running away with this match, and Mumbai have a massive task ahead of them.

Mumbai City 1 – 2 FC Goa

And we’re underway in the second half! Mumbai City FC will need to act quickly if they have any hopes of taking a lead to Goa in the second leg, having already given away two precious away goals

Mumbai City 1 – 2 FC Goa (HT)

A frenetic half of football ends in disappointment for Mumbai City, with their equaliser being disallowed. The Islanders have been the marginally better side, but have struggled to carve out any clear-cut chances for themselves. FC Goa, on the other hand, are halfway through what could be one of the best smash-and-grab victories of the ISL season!

A half-time rollicking from Jorge Costa awaits the Mumbai City squad in the dressing room, with the Portuguese manager looking quite annoyed with proceedings.

Mumbai City 1 – 2 FC Goa

Modou Sougou gets the ball into the FC Goa goal! The chance comes the way of Sougou thanks to butter-fingered Naveen Kumar, who spills a relatively tame shot from Rafael Bastos.

Luckily for the Goa goalkeeper, an eagle-eyed linesman was on hand to save his blushes by spotting an offside to deny an equaliser to Mumbai.

Mumbai City 1 – 2 FC Goa

Arnold Issoko wins a free-kick on the very edge of the penalty area, which is smashed into the wall at full force by Paulo Machado. The rebound is picked up by a Mumbai player, who launches it back into the six-yard box, where it falls at the feet of Subasish Bose. The left-back swivels and fires a shot at Naveen Kumar, who pulls off the save of the season!

Mumbai City 1 – 2 FC Goa

The visitors go ahead thanks to an inventive header from Mourtada Fall and some atrocious defending from Mumbai City! 

Edu Bedia whips in a delectable corner, which zips across the face of goal and is headed in by a stooping Mourtada Fall. Mumbai’s defenders will be kicking themselves, and rightfully so!

Mumbai City 1 – 1 FC Goa

Jackichand Singh latches on to a rebound to score against his former side!

Ferran Corrominas gets a bit of space for the first time tonight, and unleashes a ferocious shot from distance. Mumbai goalkeeper Amrinder Singh palms the ball back into the path of a lurking Jackichand Singh, who had the easiest of finishes.

Mumbai City 1 – 0 FC Goa

Joyner Lourenco enters the referee’s books thanks to an NFL-esque shove on an unsuspecting Jackichand Singh. He’s going to have to be on his best behaviour for the rest of the match.

Mumbai City 1 – 0 FC Goa

Mumbai City take the lead through Rafael Bastos! The chief architect of the goal was Mumbai’s Arnold Issoko, who has been giving FC Goa’s backline a chastening lesson in how to defend. 

The Congolese winger raced past a couple of defenders on the right flank, before cutting back with a Cruyff turn and pinging in a ball to the far post with the outside of his foot, which Bastos buried in the net from close range.

Mumbai City 0 – 0 FC Goa

Rafael Bastos incurs the wrath of the referee for his whinging. The Brazilian sprints 20 yards to remonstrate with the referee after Mumbai City aren’t allowed to take a free kick quickly. He’s awarded a yellow card for his efforts.

Mumbai City 0 – 0 FC Goa

FC Goa call for a penalty after a cross from Mandar Rao Dessai is blocked by an airborne Lucian Goian, whose hand brushes against the ball. The referee doesn’t see the handball, much to the relief of Mumbai City fans. Thank god the ISL doesn’t have VAR yet, eh?

Mumbai City 0 – 0 FC Goa
 

Chance for FC Goa!

9' Mumbai are pressing high to create problems in the opposition's half

Seconds ago, Coro heads the ball square into space for Fall but the Senegalese defender's headed attempt is taken care of by Amrinder

LIVE: https://t.co/bDwAL2n2sr #MUMGOA

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) March 9, 2019

Mumbai City 0 – 0 FC Goa

Brandon Fernandes takes a blow in the crown jewels

Goa’s Fernandes attempts to get out of the way of a Mumbai player but ends up inflicting a great deal of hurt on himself. That looked like a painful one.

Mumbai City 0 – 0 FC Goa

Mumbai City FC get their first shot on target!

Arnold Issoko finds himself in a pocket of space 25 yards out and thwacks a speculative shot towards the FC Goa foal. The ball bounces before reaching goalkeeper Naveen Kumar, who palms it away awkwardly.

Mumbai City 0 – 0 FC Goa

And we’re underway! 

The first leg of the semi-final begins with a spell of possession for visitors Goa, who are getting a feel for the ball. Mumbai are having none of it, approaching the game with a slightly overzealous level of physicality.

And here’s how FC Goa’s 2018-19 campaign unfolded

Here’s how Mumbai City FC’s season has been so far

Mumbai City FC’s unbeaten run in the ISL was book-ended by defeats to Goa

On 24 October, 2018, a ruthless performance from FC Goa handed Mumbai City FC what turned out to be their heaviest loss of the 2018-19 Indian Super League season. After some soul searching and tactical changes, Mumbai embarked on a nine-match unbeaten run which effectively sealed their playoff berth.

Click here  to read Dilip Unnikrishnan’s preview of tonight’s match.

Firstpost’s very own Dilip Unnikrishnan gives us a taste of what the atmosphere is like inside the Mumbai Football Arena

Less than an hour to go for kick-off at the Mumbai Football Arena. Empty seats greet the players as they come out for the warm-ups. A sizeable contingent of @FCGoaOfficial fans are making their presence known though @FirstpostSports pic.twitter.com/aYwNyhDLx4

— Dilip Unnikrishnan (@DilipUnnikrishn) March 9, 2019

Here’s how the visitors line up

Brandon, Peña, Mandar are back in @SergioLobera1's starting XI against Mumbai City FC.

Line-up: Jahouh, Mandar, Coro, Brandon, Jacki, Peña, Seriton, Edu, Lenny, Fall, Naveen

Subs: Hugo, Sana, Manvir, Nawaz, Gama, Krouch, Ali#NowWeRise #ForcaGoa #HeroISL #LetsFootball #MUMGOA pic.twitter.com/wk4lFtYjRO

— FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) March 9, 2019

Here is the home side’s starting XI!

⚠ TEAM NEWS! ⚠

Here's #TheIslanders' XI that will take on @FCGoaOfficial in tonight's massive semifinal at the Arena!

Let's go, Mumbai! 👊🏻#MUMGOA #ApunKaTeam 🔵 pic.twitter.com/IXGn5mMUL4

— Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) March 9, 2019

Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s coverage of the ISL play-offs!

In today’s match-up, Mumbai City FC play host to FC Goa in the Mumbai Football Arena. FC Goa defeated Mumbai City twice in the league stage. The first was a 5-0 hammering at Goa and then a convincing 2-0 victory in Mumbai.

But even though Goa has been the better-equipped team with a 7-0 aggregate, Mumbai will hope for better results when both start with a clean slate in the knockout stage of the league