I-League: 10-man Mumbai FC hold Sporting Clube de Goa to 2-2 draw

Mumbai: Reduced to ten men in the second half, a fighting Mumbai FC held Sporting Clube de Goa to a 2-2 draw and kept their unbeaten home record intact in the I-League football match here on Saturday.

Mumbai were forced to play without captain NP Pradeep after he was sent off following a double-booking in the first half. But the hosts fought hard to earn the draw.

The visitors drew first blood in the 8th minute through Mahmoud Al Amna that was neutralised by Mumbai's Kyuki Kozawa in the 19th minute.

Crossing over with only ten men on the field Mumbai took a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute through substitute Jayesh Rane only to see substitute Victoria Fernandes equalise for the Goans six minutes later.

The draw lifted Sporting to number 4 on the table with 12points while keeping Mumbai in 12th spot with ten points.

Mumbai were stunned by an early strike by the Goan team in the 6th minute. A long ball was trapped on the left flank by Odafa Okolie who found an unmarked Mahmoud Al Amna with a precise ten yard pass. The latter left-footed the ball with surprising ease between the left post and new recruit Sandip Nandy, signed only recently on loan from ISL team Kerala Blasters to put the Goans 1-0 up. Nandy was replaced by Pawan Kumar before half time.

But Mumbai, who have not lost a game this season at home, hit back 12 minutes later through Japanese striker Ryuki Kozava.

The overseas player was unmarked just inside the penalty area to collect a long ball from Pratik Chowdhary and lobbed the ball into the rival goal over goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya.

To make matters difficult for Mumbai their captain and central defender NP Pradeep had to leave the field by picking up his second yellow card just before end of half time for rough play.

Substitute Rane put Mumbai ahead early in the second half as he, unchallenged by Goa defender Mehrajuddin Wadoo, slotted the ball into goal between Bhattacharya's legs.

But Sporting hit back seven minute later through a combination of substitutes Serotpn Fernandes and Victorio Fernandes with the latter connecting a cross from the right to beat Pawan Kumar.

Both teams missed a couple of chances later before the game was drawn.