Mumbai City are out of the reckoning for the Indian Super League playoffs as the Delhi Dynamos won 5-1 in their Indian Super League encounter at the JLN Stadium on Tuesday.
Nandakumar Sekar, Matias Mirabje, Manuel Arana, Kalu Uche and Lallianzuala Chhangte all scored for the home side with Everton Santos’ strike a consolation for the Islanders on the night.
Delhi’s win also meant that Chennaiyin FC qualified for the play-offs with 29 points, joining Pune City and Bengaluru in the knockout phase.
Both sides also saw red cards with Pratik Chowdhary and Sahil Tavora getting two yellows for the Dynamos and Mumbai City respectively.
The game started at a brisk pace as Nandakumar’s quick give-and-go with Seityasen Singh saw the ex-Chennai City player receive the ball in the box, before slotting it in between Amrinder Singh’s legs to give his side the lead.
Balwant Singh’s left-footed shot was the closest that Mumbai City would come to equalising as Xabier Iruetaguena kept his side’s lead intact with a good save. Guimaraes would bring on Leo Costa for Marcio Rozario at the start of the second half.
Delhi’s Spanish goalkeeper then fumbled a low shot from Singh, which deflected to Santos, who made no mistake in equalising for Mumbai. Mirabje, whose 91st-minute winner had earned three points for Delhi against ATK in their previous match, struck from long range with less than 20 minutes to go to reclaim the hosts’ lead.
Chowdhary would then get sent off for a second bookable offence as he clattered into Santos from behind. Minutes later, Tavora would even things up as his sliding challenge caught Arana in the box, giving the referee little choice but to send him off and award a penalty.
Arana comfortably slotted his penalty home as Amrinder dived the wrong way.
Substitute Kalu Uche had the easiest of finishes as Arana’s low cross was easily turned in for Delhi’s fourth of the night.
Fellow sub Chhangte would later compound Mumbai’s misery as Mirabje’s delightful through ball found the Mizo youngster through on goal. Chhangte easily rounded Amrinder to put the gloss on the scoreline.
Delhi now have 18 points, only five behind Mumbai in seventh, who must now hope to salvage a direct qualifying spot for the Super Cup play-offs.