Mumbai City FC thrashed NorthEast United FC 5-1 in match no. 23 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2015 at the DY Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.
Sunil Chhetri stole the show almost single-handedly as he produced an oustanding hat-trick against the highlanders. Sony Norde too added his name on the scoresheet after he guided the ball in the back of the net in the 51st minute of the match.
Mumbai City FC began the match by maintaining most of the ball possession and their attacking index was way higher than NorthEast United FC.
In the 25th minute of the match, NorthEast United FC defender Carlos Lopez handled the ball and immediately the referee awarded a spot-kick. Chhetri did a Andrei Pirlo while taking the penalty and calmly finished it. Pirlo did it once in the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil for Italy. Chhetri flipped the ball instead of blasting it past the goalkeeper. The Indian captain scored from another spot-kick just after the second half started when Andre Bikey got his hands to the ball inside the penalty box.
Chhetri scored his second goal in the 40th minute when Subhash Singh headed one into the former's feet and he guided the ball past the goalkeeper easily.
Norde was instrumental yet again with his crosses and when it came to scoring, he too did it with precision by tricking the goalkeeper in the 51st minute.
In the 87th minute, Mumbai City FC skipper Frantz Bertin scored with a header and the corner was taken by none other than Norde. That was the final nail in the coffin.
The highlanders did equalise in the first half itself when Boithang Haokip's left-footed curler found the back of the net. But they could never take control of the match after Chhetri's second. Mumbai City FC coach Nicolas Anelka will be delighted with this performance.
This was indeed a thorough professional performance from Nicolas Anleka and his men in Blue. The offensive game powered Mumbai City FC to the top half of the points table of the ISL 2015. The hosts have now won three back-to-back matches and are riding high on confidence. Up next they will be taking on the defending champions Atletico de Kolkata, who are low on morale as they lost two consecutive matches against FC Pune City and NorthEast United FC.
Meanwhile, Cesar Farias now have a lot to worry about before they next game. Their defense was ripped off by the Mumbai City FC forwards, especially Sunil Chhetri. The Indian skipper is now the highest scorer of the ISL 2015 alongside Chennaiyin FC's Stiven Mendoza.
This was also the highest scoring game in the ISL 2015. The crowd who came in numbers witnessed six goals, five of them were scored by Mumbai City FC and one by NorthEast United FC.
