Atletico De Kolkata beat Mumbai City 4-1 away at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, courtesy an Iain Hume hat-trick. With this win, Atletico have gone above Mumbai on goal difference, whereas Mumbai have now lost two matches on home soil. Chennaiyin, in fourth and the last play-off spot, will now be anxiously looking over their shoulders as only a difference of one goal separates last season’s league toppers and the defending champions.
The result at the end of the day was in sharp contrast to the form that both teams had displayed in recent weeks: the home team coming into the game with three straight victories on the bounce, whereas the champions of last season seemed to be fading as they had recorded three consecutive losses. Mumbai, incidentally were looking to create history by becoming the first Indian Super League side to win four matches in a row.
Antonio Lopez Habas, the head coach of the Atletico side had a selection headache coming into the game as he was left with a depleted squad due to injuries to a number of players. However, the injury that has hurt Kolkata the most is that of marquee player Helder Postiga, who has not in action since the first game of the season.
Habas has accepted that his Kolkata side lack sharpness and depth up front and the form of Hume, in particular, had bothered the coach and the fans coming into the match. Borja and Oftense Nato would have been critical to the team’s plans as they looked to grab their second away win of the season.
Mumbai tinker with settled attack
Even though the home side did not have a great start to the season, they have come into their own in the last couple of weeks and Anelka’s combinations seemed to have finally started clicking. They were very impressive in their match against NorthEast United as Cesar Farias’ side were thrashed 5-1.
Sunil Chettri, in particular, has looked razor sharp up front – he bagged a hat-trick in his last match and has six goals in his last three. The Indian captain has been in delightful form, leading the attack with some wonderful link-up play and incisive running off the ball.
His play has also ensured that the others around him have stepped up their game and the likes of Sony Norde have created excellent chances and provided assists for Chettri. Although Anelka’s move to replace Piquionne with himself and Cristian Bustos with Juan Aguilera can be put down to rotation, the move seemed to have backfired as the attack seemed to have blunted.
There is no doubting the Frenchman’s calibre and although it was expected that the Frenchman might play some role considering his return from injury, this was a match they had to win as they run out of home games to seal a play-off spot.
Sunil Chettri looked to be lost as Anelka was the home side’s main man with the Indian striker cutting a peripheral figure for large parts of the match. Mumbai’s experimenting with Chettri on the left and right sides had also not worked well in the earlier part of the campaign.
Hume delights
The Canadian Iain Hume was a terror to opposition defences last season, as he chipped in with 5 goals for the eventual runners-up, the Kerala Blasters. This season, his form for his new club has been patchy as he has not been able to string a series of good performances together.
Mumbai started the stronger of the two sides as Aguilera’s chip found Anelka in space inside the box. Thankfully for Kolkata, Amrinder came charging off his line to deny the Frenchman the opening goal within 10 minutes.
The game soon turned into a midfield battle as neither of the sides was able to keep the ball for long enough to fashion out clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities. Franz Bertin almost capitalised on a mistake from Amrinder from a Darren O’Dea free kick but headed it wide of the far post.
Mumbai paid for their mistake moments later as Sameehg Doutie received the ball in midfield and chipped it straight to Hume, who got away from O’Dea and volleyed the ball home with a cool, precise finish.
Kolkata made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time as Subhash Singh clattered into Jamie Gavilan from the back inside the box, leaving the referee no choice but to award the red-and-whites a penalty. It was that man Hume again, who made no mistake in sending Subrata Paul the wrong way and grabbed his second goal of the night from the penalty spot.
Anelka’s words at half-time seemed to have invigorated Mumbai as they came out charging after the whistle. They went for broke with a triple substitution – Rowilson, Piquionne and Benachour replaced O’Dea, Bertin and Subhash as they desperately tried to claw their way back into the game.
Mumbai poured men forward looking for a goal but it was Hume who came closest on two occasions, first playing a one-two with Doutie and dashing into the area, only for the attack to fizzle out. Gavilan played the ball out of defence and the ball made its way to Hume, who found himself in a one-on-one situation, only for his shot to strike the crossbar.
Mumbai continue to raid the Kolkata goal, as Piquionne and Anelka took quick shots in succession. Javi Lara was brought on for Gavilan as Habas looked to shore up the defence in order to protect this lead.
Mumbai finally got their goal when Chettri took a shot at Amrinder which he could only parry towards Benachour who made no mistake in striking the ball high into the roof from the rebound.
Mumbai’s attacks though, left them a bit thin at the back as Augustin Fernandes played a neat one-two with Doutie, who was outstanding on the night. Augustin made no mistake in slotting the ball in as Kolkata’s two-goal cushion was restored.
Mumbai let a golden chance slip to pull a goal back as Anelka’s perfect cross into the box, presumably meant for Piquionne was headed over the bar by Chettri amidst confusion from the strike duo.
Kolkata killed the game off in the 81st minute as Doutie again charged into the box, darting past Ashutosh Mehta and squared it for Hume, who got a deserved hat-trick with a sliding finish past Paul. Jewel Raja came on for Arnab Mondal as Kolkata saw the game out with ease to register a big win away.
Meanwhile, Mumbai must get back to the drawing board and must sort out some huge defensive problems. Kolkata, having already played five away games at the half-way stage of the season, must now show get some positive results at home in order to qualify for the semi-finals.
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The result at the end of the day was in sharp contrast to the form that both teams had displayed in recent weeks: the home team coming into the game with three straight victories on the bounce, whereas the champions of last season seemed to be fading as they had recorded three consecutive losses. Mumbai, incidentally were looking to create history by becoming the first Indian Super League side to win four matches in a row.
Antonio Lopez Habas, the head coach of the Atletico side had a selection headache coming into the game as he was left with a depleted squad due to injuries to a number of players. However, the injury that has hurt Kolkata the most is that of marquee player Helder Postiga, who has not in action since the first game of the season.
Habas has accepted that his Kolkata side lack sharpness and depth up front and the form of Hume, in particular, had bothered the coach and the fans coming into the match. Borja and Oftense Nato would have been critical to the team’s plans as they looked to grab their second away win of the season.
Mumbai tinker with settled attack
Even though the home side did not have a great start to the season, they have come into their own in the last couple of weeks and Anelka’s combinations seemed to have finally started clicking. They were very impressive in their match against NorthEast United as Cesar Farias’ side were thrashed 5-1.
Sunil Chettri, in particular, has looked razor sharp up front – he bagged a hat-trick in his last match and has six goals in his last three. The Indian captain has been in delightful form, leading the attack with some wonderful link-up play and incisive running off the ball.
His play has also ensured that the others around him have stepped up their game and the likes of Sony Norde have created excellent chances and provided assists for Chettri. Although Anelka’s move to replace Piquionne with himself and Cristian Bustos with Juan Aguilera can be put down to rotation, the move seemed to have backfired as the attack seemed to have blunted.
There is no doubting the Frenchman’s calibre and although it was expected that the Frenchman might play some role considering his return from injury, this was a match they had to win as they run out of home games to seal a play-off spot.
Sunil Chettri looked to be lost as Anelka was the home side’s main man with the Indian striker cutting a peripheral figure for large parts of the match. Mumbai’s experimenting with Chettri on the left and right sides had also not worked well in the earlier part of the campaign.
Hume delights
The Canadian Iain Hume was a terror to opposition defences last season, as he chipped in with 5 goals for the eventual runners-up, the Kerala Blasters. This season, his form for his new club has been patchy as he has not been able to string a series of good performances together.
Mumbai started the stronger of the two sides as Aguilera’s chip found Anelka in space inside the box. Thankfully for Kolkata, Amrinder came charging off his line to deny the Frenchman the opening goal within 10 minutes.
The game soon turned into a midfield battle as neither of the sides was able to keep the ball for long enough to fashion out clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities. Franz Bertin almost capitalised on a mistake from Amrinder from a Darren O’Dea free kick but headed it wide of the far post.
Mumbai paid for their mistake moments later as Sameehg Doutie received the ball in midfield and chipped it straight to Hume, who got away from O’Dea and volleyed the ball home with a cool, precise finish.
Kolkata made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time as Subhash Singh clattered into Jamie Gavilan from the back inside the box, leaving the referee no choice but to award the red-and-whites a penalty. It was that man Hume again, who made no mistake in sending Subrata Paul the wrong way and grabbed his second goal of the night from the penalty spot.
Anelka’s words at half-time seemed to have invigorated Mumbai as they came out charging after the whistle. They went for broke with a triple substitution – Rowilson, Piquionne and Benachour replaced O’Dea, Bertin and Subhash as they desperately tried to claw their way back into the game.
Mumbai poured men forward looking for a goal but it was Hume who came closest on two occasions, first playing a one-two with Doutie and dashing into the area, only for the attack to fizzle out. Gavilan played the ball out of defence and the ball made its way to Hume, who found himself in a one-on-one situation, only for his shot to strike the crossbar.
Mumbai continue to raid the Kolkata goal, as Piquionne and Anelka took quick shots in succession. Javi Lara was brought on for Gavilan as Habas looked to shore up the defence in order to protect this lead.
Mumbai finally got their goal when Chettri took a shot at Amrinder which he could only parry towards Benachour who made no mistake in striking the ball high into the roof from the rebound.
Mumbai’s attacks though, left them a bit thin at the back as Augustin Fernandes played a neat one-two with Doutie, who was outstanding on the night. Augustin made no mistake in slotting the ball in as Kolkata’s two-goal cushion was restored.
Mumbai let a golden chance slip to pull a goal back as Anelka’s perfect cross into the box, presumably meant for Piquionne was headed over the bar by Chettri amidst confusion from the strike duo.
Kolkata killed the game off in the 81st minute as Doutie again charged into the box, darting past Ashutosh Mehta and squared it for Hume, who got a deserved hat-trick with a sliding finish past Paul. Jewel Raja came on for Arnab Mondal as Kolkata saw the game out with ease to register a big win away.
Meanwhile, Mumbai must get back to the drawing board and must sort out some huge defensive problems. Kolkata, having already played five away games at the half-way stage of the season, must now show get some positive results at home in order to qualify for the semi-finals.
