Northeast rally to hold Mumbai
MUMBAI: Table-toppers Mumbai City FC let a two-goal advantage slip to be held by Northeast United FC 3-3 in a topsy-turvy Indian Super League encounter at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda on Monday.
Despite Mumbai being 3-1 up soon after the start of the second half, Deshorn Brown’s hat-trick ensured the Khalid Jamilcoached Northeast United shared the spoils. Brown scored in the 29th, 56th and 80th minute as Igor Angulo (33rd, 52nd) and Bipin Singh (40th) found the net on either side of his treble. With the brace, Spain’s Angulo now becomes the league’s top scorer with seven goals.
The result did not alter Mumbai’s position at the top of the table after eight games, but the defending champions have now remained winless in two matches after losing 3-0 to Kerala Blasters in their last outing.
Mumbai started well but against the run of play, Northeast United drew first blood. Brown marked his return to the side with a goal as the Jamaican forward made the most of a brilliant diagonal ball from the impressive Imran Khan to chest it down and slot home past the charging Nawaz.
Mumbai upped the ante and were rewarded soon. Bipin burst through the left flank and squared it for Angulo who tapped home from close. Seven minutes later and five minutes to halftime, Angulo turned provider as the experienced Spaniard put an overlapping Bipin through, with the latter affecting a low finish from a tight angle.
Mumbai added to the tally seven minutes after the break as Angulo scored his second goal. Ygor Catatau unlocked a flailing Northeast defence to find Angulo who slotted from close.
Mumbai’s joy was short-lived as the excellent Brown got his name on the scoresheet again, peeling away from his marker and using power to smash the ball across the keeper and into the back of the net.
Brown completed his hattrick by guiding Imran’s shot into an empty net as Rahul Bheke failed to clear the danger while Nawaz was guilty of coming out of his line early.*