Pune : Mumbai City FC kick start their AFC Champions League campaign with a 2-0 defeat against the Iranian Club Nassaji Mazandaran at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi, Pune in the Group D encounter.
⏲️ FT | 🇮🇳 Mumbai City FC 0️⃣-2️⃣ Nassaji Mazandaran 🇮🇷
An emphatic triumph in Pune has set the Iranian debutants up at the continental stage!#ACL | #MUMvNSJ pic.twitter.com/ANcaMQS6mw
— #ACL (@TheAFCCL) September 18, 2023
Mumbai City FC, though attacked throughout the Match, couldn’t deliver the end results according to the potentials, despite creating numerous chances, especially in the 1st half, creating pressure on the Iranian club.
Smooth Operator 🤙#ACL | #MUMvNSJ pic.twitter.com/Xw1ZkE20gI
— #ACL (@TheAFCCL) September 18, 2023
However Nassaji Mazandaran opened their scorecard in the 33rd minute of the game, with the help of Ehsan Hosseini’s 1st goal of the Match, thanks to a good assist by captain Hossein Zamehran and brilliant Ball play in the penalty box by Hosseini. Despite taking possession for most number of the time and creating chances at the end of the 1st half, Mumbai couldn’t equalise.
Unmarked ➡️ Unstoppable
Ehsan's strike registered the first ever goal for Nassaji Mazandaran 🇮🇷 on the continental stage 🤩#ACL | #MUMvNSJ pic.twitter.com/Jydzwo4pyV
— #ACL (@TheAFCCL) September 18, 2023
Mumbai in this half too created pressure on Nassaji , yet they handled it brilliantly. The Iranian Club doubled the lead in the 66th minute when a fumble by Akash Mishra allowed Frashid Esmaeili to steal the Ball and pass it to Mohammadreza Azadi near the byline and Azadi scored his 1st goal to ensure them the win. Despite keeping possession and chances in the rest of the Match, Mumbai was unable to score a single goal at the end of Full time.
