Mumbai City returned to winning ways in Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 after a 2-0 victory over Hyderabad FC at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco on Sunday. Vignesh Dakshinamurthy scored Mumbai’s opening goal in the 38th minute and Adam le Fondre added their second before the hour mark.

• Vignesh Dakshinamurthy gave Mumbai the lead seven minutes before halftime.
• Adam le Fondre extended Mumbai’s lead in the 59th minute.

Mumbai were dominant in possession from the start but couldn’t really create any openings early on as Hyderabad got bodies behind the ball in their bid to keep the Islanders at bay. However, after a cagey opening that saw neither side create any opportunities of note, Mumbai went ahead in the 38th minute in spectacular fashion through Vignesh.

A cross from the right into the box by Ahmed Jahouh was met by Bipin Singh, who cushioned it perfectly towards the six-yard box for Vignesh to produce a stunning left-footed finish on the volley and make it 1-0 for Mumbai.

Hyderabad had a chance to equalise in the 44th minute when Akash Mishra delivered a delicious cross from the left only for Mohammed Yasir to put his header wide of goal to the disappointment of his teammates. The Telangana-based side continued to push for a leveller before halftime but couldn’t find the back of the net as Mumbai went into the break with a 1-0 lead.

Both sides looked to attack from the outset in the second half as Hyderabad searched for a way back into the contest, while Mumbai looked to extend their lead. Hyderabad even introduced Liston Colaco from the bench in the early stages of the second half in their bid for a goal, but it was Mumbai that doubled their lead a minute before the hour mark.

It was Rowllin Borges that turned provider after he threaded a smart pass into the box from the left for le Fondre, whose first touch set him up perfectly for a clinical finish past Subrata Paul to make it 2-0 for Sergio Lobera’s men.

Hyderabad to their credit continued to push forward looking for a goal even after Mumbai had doubled their lead. However, the chances also kept coming for the Islanders and they could have scored a third goal in the 78th minute when le Fondre was put in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper before chipping the ball into the side netting.

Mumbai went on to move the ball around well and starve Hyderabad of possession in the closing stages of the contest. Hyderabad did get into good areas out wide, but their final balls weren’t up to the mark as the Islanders held on to their two-goal advantage comfortably and won the match.

Hero of the Match – Ahmed Jahouh

Ahmed Jahouh had a typically assured outing at the center of the park for Mumbai. The midfielder’s dynamism saw him cover all areas of the pitch and finish with a passing accuracy of 76%. One of Mumbai’s most influential players, he had 96 touches of the ball and made two successful interceptions, four successful tackles, four blocks and four clearances.

Other Match Awards:

Club Award – Mumbai City FC

DHL Winning Pass of the Match – Bipin Singh (Mumbai City FC)

Watch the Match Highlights here: