ISL 2022-23 | Mumbai City FC 4-0 Bengaluru FC: Relentless Islanders pile on the misery of Simon Grayson's side

Extending their unbeaten run and emphatic goalscoring record, Mumbai City FC (MCFC) humiliated struggling Bengaluru FC (BFC) at the Mumbai Football Arena to win 4-0 on Thursday, November 17.

With four different individuals getting on the scoresheet, including Lallianzuala Chhangte who is in red-hot form, the Islanders sealed the victory to make it 15 points from seven outings.

Coming into the clash, the two sides were at the opposite end of the spectrum. While Des Buckingham's side were undefeated in the league with three wins and three draws, the Blues were winless in their previous four games since their opening day victory over NorthEast United FC.

Right from the get-go, Mumbai City sent out the message that they were going to be relentless in their attacking approach. Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Greg Stewart started their effortless combination play right from the initial exchanges. However, the opening goal of the game came at the cost of an Alan Costa howler.

In the 14th minute, the Bengaluru FC defender made a sloppy touch in his own half and a hungry Jorge Pereyra sold Gurpreet Singh with a dummy and buried it calmly into the back of the net. Buckingham's team had drawn first blood but were far from done.

Unsurprisingly, the visitors roared back after going behind as Javi Hernandez tested Phurba Lachenpa with a long-range effort minutes later. The Blues had another opportunity thanks to a defensive lapse from Mumbai City FC, but Roy Krishna was robbed of possession before he could get his shot away inside the opposition box.

Finally, in the 32nd minute, crowning a fluid build-up play, the home side doubled their lead through Lalengmawia Ralte (Apuia). Stewart, on the right flank, played a shrewd cutback for Bipin Singh but the latter let the ball roll for Apuia. The young midfielder took a few touches in the box and calmly finished it past Gurpreet.

The BFC defense looked all over the place and even their late charge wasn't enough to pull a goal back before the break.

---

Mumbai City FC play out a near-perfect 45 minutes of football

Simon Grayson's Bengaluru started the second half on the front foot and in the hunt for a goal but lacked the final pass going inside the opposition half. Mumbai City FC had no such trouble when it came to their attacking department.

Thanks to a shambolic high defensive line from Bengaluru, Jorge Diaz found himself in acres of space through on goal. But without being selfish, the Argentinian laid it off for Bipin, who tucked it into the open net.

In the 74th minute, Mumbai further piled on the misery of Grayson's side as Chhangte buried a deflected ball from Stewart into the back of the net with a venomous left-footed strike. With the scoreline reading 4-0, all Buckingham's men had to do was control the possession and they did it expertly.

Late in the game, substitute Vikram Pratap Singh had an opportunity to make it five for the night but he failed to convert the opportunity. The referee's final whistle made this BFC's joint-worst start in the ISL. Meanwhile, Mumbai are just one point away from league leaders Hyderabad FC, who have a game in hand.

If Mumbai City FC continue their unbeaten run, the Nizams' lead might be wiped off in no time.