ISL 2015: Kamara orchestrates NorthEast's win over Mumbai
Diomansy Kamara created one goal and scored the other to provide NorthEast United with a 2-0 win over Mumbai City FC at Guwahati on Friday. With this win, NorthEast displace FC Pune City from fourth spot in the table as Mumbai's win-less streak extends to five matches.
Mumbai started the match brightly with Thangjam Singh, who received a rare start, and Nicolas Anelka testing Rehenesh TP, the NorthEast goalkeeper, twice in the opening two minutes.
In the eighth minute, Anelka ran through on goal, but Rehenesh came off his line and took the ball away from him. The loose ball, however, reached Thangjam Singh on the right wing, but the Indian midfielder's shot was cleared off the line by Cedric Hengbart.
But despite dominating possession and creating chances initially, it was NorthEast that took the lead. In the 38th minute, Mumbai right back Rowilson Rodrigues, making his first start of the season, brought down Diomansy Kamara inside the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Spanish midfielder Bruno Herrero stepped up to take the resultant penalty kick and managed to beat Mumbai goalkeeper, Subrata Paul, with a well placed shot.
With that goal, NorthEast United went into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead.
NorthEast nearly scored their second goal in the 51st minute, when Francis Dadzie found Seityasen Singh with a pass through the legs of Mumbai defender Frantz Bertin. The Indian midfielder's initial shot was kept out by Subrata with a brilliant save and his second effort from the rebound went off target.
In the 74th minute, Sunil Chhetri wasted a golden opportunity to equalize. Nicolas Anelka put him through on goal with a delicate pass from the edge of the box, but the Indian striker's left footed shot went agonizingly wide of the far post.
Six minutes later, substitute Sony Norde went down the left byline and pulled back the ball for Anelka inside the six-yard box. The Frenchman guided it on goal from close range, only for Rehenesh to make a world-class reflex save.
Kamara doubled NorthEast's lead in the 85th minute to assure them of the win. The home side won a free-kick near the center of the pitch and Simao Sabrosa drifted in a hopeful ball. Subrata came out to punch the ball but missed it completely only to fall into a heap of defenders, and Kamara was at hand to turn it in.