Lacklustre Hyderabad FC given the treatment as Mumbai City edge closer to second ISL Shield in a row | ISL 2023-24
Table toppers Mumbai City FC rolled over bottom-placed Hyderabad FC with a 3-0 win in the 116th match in the Indian Super League at the Maidaan in Gachibowli on Monday, April 1. Petr Kratky's side was clearly the better of the two on offer, and gave the Nawabs very little room to express themselves to the fullest.
Goals from Lallianzuala Chhangte and Mehtab Singh gave the Islanders the edge over the hosts, whom they managed to subdue throughout the game. Chhangte got on the scoresheet in the 18th minute of the game when Vikram Partap Singh picked a brilliant pass to beat the lumbering Jeremy Zohminghlua and Abdul Rabeeh.
The Mizo maestro made no mistake in putting it into the Hyderabad net after bypassing goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani, who was sold short by his defenders.
The goal difference between Mumbai and Hyderabad could have been much worse
![Mumbai City's Valpuia grappling with Hyderabad FC's Makan Chothe on Monday. [ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/46619-17119865430975-1920.jpg?w=500)
Mehtab doubled the lead for the visitors when he rose the highest to meet a cross sent in by new signing Thaer Krouma in the 32nd minute even as the Yellow and Black were looking to scramble enough numbers to man their goalpost.
Substitute Bipin Singh missed a sitter in the 82nd minute of the game. Despite finding himself one-on-one with Kattimani, skied the ball over the Goan's goalpost. Jorge Pereyra Diaz, however, sealed the deal for his team when he converted one from the spot after Vikram Partap drew and won a foul inside the penalty box.
Indeed, the goal difference could have been much worse for the Nawabs had their center-back pairing of Alex Saji and Joao Victor, as well as goalkeeper Kattimani not stood up when the going got tough for them. The suspended Mohammed Rafi was sorely missed.
Mumbai City have all but secured the ISL Shield with this win - their second in a row. However, they cannot afford to be complacent as their closest challengers Mohun Bagan have a game in hand despite having lost to Chennaiyin FC 2-3 on Sunday.
The two title contenders have 44 and 39 points to their name, respectively, at the time of writing.
Hyderabad will rue a lot of missed chances on Monday, the biggest of which came soon after kickoff. Abdul Rabeeh set Ramhlunchhunga up in the center of the box by deceiving the still-asleep Mumbai City defenders only for the latter to sky it.
The Nawabs now travel to take on FC Goa at the Fatorda Stadium on Friday, April 5, while Mumbai City host Odisha FC on Monday, April 8.