Mumbai City FC booked their berth in the final of Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 after beating FC Goa 6-5 on penalties at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Monday. With nothing to separate the sides following a 0-0 scoreline (2-2 aggregate) after extra time, Rowllin Borges scored the match-winning penalty during sudden death to send the Islanders to their first-ever Hero ISL final.

• FC Goa had the better chances in both halves but couldn’t score.
• Neither side managed to score in extra time as well.
• Rowllin Borges scored from the spot in sudden death.

Mumbai City FC started the match on the front foot and looked to score an early goal to set the pace of the game. They got into quite a few threatening areas in and around FC Goa’s box but struggled to produce the final ball and were lacking the Midas touch in front of goal.

The biggest chance of the first half went to the Gaurs in the 27th minute when Jorge Ortiz and Saviour Gama linked to good effect and put Alberto Noguera in on goal. Noguera’s scuffed shot on target was parried into a dangerous area by the goalkeeper. Redeem Tlang then managed to get his shot away on the follow-up but Amey Ranawade came up with a heroic block to deny the Gaurs.

FC Goa tested Amrinder Singh again in the 34th minute when an Ortiz freekick forced the Islanders’ custodian into conceding a corner. Mumbai City FC then had a freekick of their own four minutes later and they worked it smartly to set up Hugo Boumous for a shot from just outside the box. However, Boumous’ shot failed to trouble the goalkeeper and ended up going over the crossbar as the teams went into the break with the second leg goalless.

The Gaurs began the second half with a couple of chances in the opening 10 minutes. The first was an Alexander Jesuraj shot from a Saviour cutback and the second was a shot from distance by the FC Goa left-back himself. Amrinder though was up to the task on both occasions and did the needful to keep his team in the game.

The Islanders’ first big chance of the second half came shortly after the hour mark when Adam le Fondre got on the end of a cross from the left and directed it at goal as Adil Khan produced a well-timed tackle to deny the Englishman. FC Goa went up the other end moments later as a Jesuraj cross from the right was met by substitute Ishan Pandita, who headed the ball on target for Amrinder to make another save.

The Gaurs, in fact, saw more of the ball in the second half but couldn’t get the breakthrough. They had a huge opportunity to win the match in second half stoppage time when a quality Edu Bedia freekick into the six-yard box just needed a touch from James Donachie. However, the Australian defender failed to get his head on the ball as the chance went abegging and the match went into extra time.

Neither side managed to do much in extra time. Apart from a Bedia freekick that tested Amrinder in the first half of extra time and a Raynier Fernandes shot from inside the box in the second, chances were hard to come by for both sides as the match headed into a penalty shootout.

Only Bartholomew Ogbeche and Raynier Fernandes converted their spot-kicks for Mumbai City FC, while Igor Angulo and Ivan Gonzalez netted for FC Goa as the match went into sudden death. Mourtada Fall, Ranawade and Mandar Rao Dessai netted in sudden death for Mumbai City FC, whereas Pandita, Ortiz and Adil all scored their penalties for FC Goa, but Glan Martins’ miss allowed Borges to score from the spot and book Mumbai City FC’s berth in the final where they will meet the winners from Tuesday’s game between NorthEast United FC and ATK Mohun Bagan.

Hero of the Match – Ivan Gonzalez

Despite being on the losing side, Ivan Gonzalvez won the Hero of the Match award following a solid display at the back for the Gaurs. Playing out of position at right-back, Gonzalez put on a defensive masterclass and completed a successful tackle, three successful interceptions, three blocks and four clearances.

Other Match Awards:

Club Award – Mumbai City FC

DHL Winning Pass of the Match – Saviour Gama (FC Goa)

Watch the Match Highlights here: