MUMBAI: If East Bengal’s target was to walk away with a point in their tough away game with Mumbai City, then they succeeded with full marks in the ISL game at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday. The game ended 0-0.
For Mumbai, it was their second blank draw after a similar result with table toppers FC Goa. It moved them to 16 points from eight games. East Bengal have 10 from nine.
Mumbai were playing their first home match under new manager Petr Kratky who did not start with Lallianzuala Chhangte on the right and tried a 3-4-2-1 combination which was not obviously producing the kind of football the home team is known for.
Space was at a premium as Mumbai struggled to have sustained pressure above the East Bengal’s final third and there was only one chance in the fourth minute which should have been ideally put away.
Jayesh Rane was provided an open goal by Pereira Diaz but the former wasted it. The transition from defence to attack was labourious as Mumbai struggled to display their usually free-flowing style.
It was only when Kratky introduced Chhangte and Rostyn Griffiths and Vinit Rai that they took control and pressed like they are known to.
At the other end, East Bengal clung on to their original target—survive. They did not create anything, only introduced some new time-wasting tactics.
In the second half, Rane again tested the East Bengal 'keeper with mid-range shot but it was over the bar. The multitudes of substitution for Mumbai created good excitement level and East Bengal were left back-pedalling most of the final 20 minutes, but clear openings were few and far.
