Mumbai City FC post 3-1 win over Jamshedpur FC to seal AFC Champions League 2023-24 Group Stage spot
In their Hero Club Playoff match on Tuesday at the Payyanad Stadium, Mumbai City FC overcame Jamshedpur FC 3-1 to clinch a spot in the AFC Champions League group stage for the 2023–24 season.
Ahmed Jahouh, Alberto Noguera, and Vikram Partap Singh's strikes were sufficient to get Mumbai through. Eli Sabia's last-ditch attempt to rally Jamshedpur was scarcely successful. Mumbai City played well in the first minutes of the game. All of the hazardous assaults had Jahouh at their epicentre. Early on in the game, though, Jamshedpur goalkeeper TP Rehenesh was able to stop them.
Jamshedpur also had a few chances to go in front. Goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa had to extend to deflect Jay Emmanuel-Thomas' goal-bound free shot in the 12th minute. Jamshedpur once again came close to taking the lead at the halfway point. Nevertheless, Ricky Lallawmawma miskicked a beautiful cross from the corner to strike the side netting.
As the two sides entered the half with a score of 0-0, the referee ultimately blew his whistle. After changing sides, Mumbai City once more seemed lethal in the attacking third, forcing Rehenesh to make saves.
As Ricky took down Lallianzuala Chhangte inside the box, the two-time Hero Indian Super League Shield winners finally made a breakthrough. Jahouh went up to take the penalty kick, and with a composed finish in the bottom left corner, he gave his team the advantage.
Des Buckingham and his team extended their lead with 20 minutes remaining in the game. This time, Alberto Noguera scored the winning goal with a flawless left-footed volley from the middle of the box.
In the 76th minute, Ricky once again found himself in a position to score as Jamshedpur began to mount a comeback. However, the full-back didn't learn from his prior mistake as his close-range shot went wide off the bar. Eli Sabia, the captain, knocked the ball in from a corner a few minutes later to make it 2-1.
But, Mumbai City was not in the mood to relinquish control of the game. They continued to advance in search of their third objective and found it.
With just the goalkeeper and one defender available, former Jamshedpur player Greg Stewart directed a counterattacking manoeuvre. The Scotsman transferred the ball to Vikram Partap Singh in the middle of the area, and the latter lobbed the ball over the custodian to clinch a convincing victory for his team.