NorthEast United 2-2 Mumbai City FC: 3 Reasons why the Islanders could only manage a draw

Mumbai City FC and NorthEast United played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Guwahati as the Highlanders remained one of only two sides to still be unbeaten in the Indian Super League.

The hosts raced off the blocks and immediately put the away side under pressure. Their endeavours were rewarded in the 9th minute when Panagiotis Triadis rippled the net from 25 yards with a rasping drive.

However, Mumbai responded 13 minutes later with Amine Chermiti finishing off a flowing attacking move. In the 32nd minute, the Tunisian bagged his second when he capitalised on some slack defending to acrobatically finish past Subhasish Roy.

Yet, NorthEast refused to back down as they kept pressing for an equaliser, which eventually arrived 3 minutes before half-time. Asamoah Gyan collected a forward pass in his stride and jinked his way past a couple of defenders before finishing coolly past Amrinder Singh.

The second half was quite scrappy and that allowed both teams to tighten things at the back. Consequently, neither managed to breach the other’s rear-guard as the sides ended the encounter deadlocked at 2-2.

Here is a look at the three reasons why Mumbai City could only post a draw against the Highlanders.

#3 Mumbai dominate midfield

For the contest against NorthEast United, Mumbai fielded perhaps their strongest midfield trio with Rowllin Borges returning to partner Mohamed Larbi and Paulo Machado. And, while the Portuguese wasn’t at his best for the entirety of the contest, his teammates put in immense performances as they barely allowed the Highlanders any control in the middle third.

Rowllin kept things ticking superbly in the centre of the park and that allowed Mumbai to spring several attacking moves. Moreover, he was present in the right place at the right time to sniff out danger and provide the requisite shield to the back four.

As for Larbi, he was slightly feistier and bit into challenges, meaning that he endured his fair share of confrontations. However, whenever he had the ball, he produced enough quality to trouble the hosts.

One such moment occurred in the 22nd minute when he picked out Modou Sougou’s run on the right, which enabled the Senegalese to square the ball for Chermiti to score.

Apart from that, the visitors’ midfield negated the spaces in between the lines in the second period, thereby forcing NorthEast to look for long passes into the channels behind the full-backs. Consequently, that isolated Gyan, laying the ideal foundation for Mumbai to build upon.

And, though they failed to come up with the decisive tilting scale, their excellent performance in midfield ensured that they didn’t return empty-handed.

#2 The visitors fail to make the most of their possession

Mumbai couldn't build on their first half performance

Over the past season and a half, Mumbai City have earned a reputation for being a team that likes to concede possession and hit their opponents on the break. However, those tables turned on Wednesday as the Islanders enjoyed more of the ball, meaning that they completed 135 more passes than the hosts.

Unfortunately, though, the visitors couldn’t maximise their dominance on the ball as they failed to carve open NorthEast United adequately.

Apart from the first goal, the visitors lacked a touch of conviction and decisiveness in the final third. Diego Carlos found himself in countless promising positions but he was guilty of letting his side down whereas Chermiti also missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the second period.

However, more alarmingly, they seemed to be devoid of a cutting edge, especially when NorthEast retreated and decided to defend in an extremely deep defensive block.

Once the above had materialised, Mumbai’s long balls were launched more in hope than anticipation while their monotonous offensive movements were telegraphed comfortably by the hosts.

Coming into the encounter, the Islanders had endured a couple of drubbings at the hands of Goa and Odisha. Thus, on footballing logic, they would’ve been happy if offered a point at Guwahati before the game.

Yet, once the game transpired the way it did, Mumbai might just be left wondering what could’ve been, especially if they’d managed to make more of a fist of their ball possession.

#1 Mumbai shoot themselves in the foot not once, but twice

Over the past fortnight, Mumbai have had time to rejuvenate and brace themselves for another tilt at qualification for the last four. However, they got off to the worst possible start when Triadis hammered one into the net from 25 yards. And, while the Greek’s strike was impressive, it had only come about due to an elementary error by Sauvik Chakrabarti.

After a throw-in from the left flank, the ball fell to the right-back, who miscued an easy clearance. Subsequently, the ball arrived at Triadis’ feet who made Mumbai pay handsomely.

A few minutes later though, the away side nudged ahead courtesy Chermiti’s brace. Yet, they contrived to undo all their good work just on the stroke of half-time.

Machado, of all people, was caught on the ball near the half-way line and had his pocket picked by Martin Chaves. The Uruguayan then slid in Gyan who glided his way into space and stuck the ball past Amrinder.

Apart from the goals, NorthEast failed to create a lot of opportunities and they even resorted to defending deep, thereby allowing the visitors plenty of the ball. And, as the game wore on, it became increasingly clear that the Highlanders were playing a reactive brand of football rather than a proactive style.

Thus, as Mumbai embark on another eastern sojourn to Kolkata, they would be forgiven to think they could’ve arrived in the city of joy with two more points in their kitty.

After all, for everything positive they achieved in Guwahati, they supplemented it with defining negative moments, instances that ultimately cost Mumbai City FC 2 points.