I-League 2015/16: East Bengal and Mumbai draw blanks in lively draw

Starting lineups:

After playing a goal-less draw away against Shillong Lajong FC, Mumbai FC brought in pacy winger Jayesh Rane into the starting XI to add more teeth to the attack, and it worked from the first minute as the home side threw attack after attack on the East Bengal goal. Within the first ten minutes, Mumbai added four corners to their name with East Bengal unable to mount any credible attack on the opposite side.

With the first half producing no goals between the sides, Khalid Jamil replaced defender Clyde Fernandes with Srikanth Ramu for the second half. Steven Dias and Jayesh Rane combined well in the 61st minute to produce the hosts first real threat of the second half with the veteran Dias’ cross sailing over the bar. The side from Kolkata also had their chance two minutes later with Sanju Pradhan missing the goal from close range. Ranti Martins, who single-handedly blown away Sporting in the first game was kept under a tight leash throughout the match by Mumbai defenders.

The home sided dominated the match with 55% possession in front of 3,870 fans at the Cooperage. Both sides had chances in the dying minutes to win it with chances at each end, but it ended 0-0 as the final whistle blowed marking Mumbai’s second goalless draw of the campaign.