Kolkata: Mumbai City FC (MCFC) made it into the finals of the 131st Durand Cup, overcoming Kolkata giants Mohammedan Sporting (MDSP) 1-0 in the first semi-final.
Bipin Singh got the much needed strike in the final minute of regulation time, with a Lallianzuala Chhangte assist. This will be Mumbai City FC’s first ever final in Asia’s oldest tournament through their very first appearance.
Mohammedan Sporting rattled Mumbai in the first 15 mins of the game. Prtiam Singh and Sk. Faiaz kept switching flanks and looking dangerous. In that period, the Islanders managed a free-kick but it was wasted by Greg Stewart.
The game marched up to the half-hour mark with Mumbai slowly asserting control. They grabbed about three corners in about five minutes. However from the first one, Mourtada Fall got the first real chance to score. Nevertheless Ndiaye was up to the task at the heart of the Mohammedan defense.
Mohammedan began the second half with the same vigour. With just five minutes of the second half, the ball fell for Abhash Thapa following a lovely team move from Marcus and Faiaz. However Thapa failed to test keeper Lachenpa with a horribly mistimed connection.
Mumbai came back with a vengeance soon however when Greg Stewart played a 1-2 with Gurkirat and broke inside to shoot, but Zothanmawia probably brought the save of the tournament to deny the Scotsman.
Cheryshov made his first move at just over the hour mark, bringing in Abhishek Halder in place of Azhar Mallick. Des Buckingham too made a couple of changes soon after bringing in Mehtab Singh and Noguera Ripoll in place of Gurkirat and Griffiths.
Marcus came dangerously close in the 64th minute with a free-kick which brushed the side-netting. Then in the 68thminute, Pritam once again broke in from the left and found Marcus free with his cross but the Trinidadian’s volley was off target. A minute later Pritam himself got a lay-off from Faiaz in an inviting position, but his shot was deflected out for a corner.
Just as everyone thought that the match would go to extra-time, Greg Stewart spotted a Chhangte free-run on the right flank and played him. The diminutive winger dashed inside the box and played square for an onrushing Bipin Singh to tap home.
Mohammedan Sporting– 0 () Mumbai City FC- 1 (Bipin Singh 90’)
