ISL: Mumbai City FC 0-3 Chennaiyin FC - 5 Talking Points

The goal drought continued for Mumbai City FC, and their record of five successive clean sheets was brought to a grinding halt by an efficient performance by Marco Materazzi's Chennaiyin FC. With Chennai missing Elano, John Stiven Mendoza and Gouramangi Singh, this was seen as the perfect opportunity for Mumbai to get back into goal scoring ways, but it wasn't to be, as some clinical finishing from Chennai and some catastrophic defending from the hosts ensured that there was only one way the game was headed. The result took Chennai three points clear of Atletico de Kolkata at the top the table, and left Mumbai with plenty of work to do, if they are to finish in the top four. Here are the five major talking points from the game, held at the DY Patil Stadium. 

#1 Cagey, scrappy first half

Whether it was the fear of losing or just the tight schedule getting to the players, both teams sturggled to string a set of passes together in the first half. Without Elano to dictate the play, Chennai looked rather lost, and for Mumbai, Andre Moritz tried to do too many things on his own. 

The first half was strewn with mistakes in midfield, as neither side was able to create a foothold for themselves in the game. 

Chances in the first half were few and far between. When they did arrive though, they were through defensive errors, and not any concvincing build-up play. Even then, Chennai were restricted to long range shots, while Mumbai had one fantastic hance, when Bernard Mendy was dispossessed by Lalrindika Ralte, and the Indian set up Moritz whose right footed shot was brilliantly saved by Gennaro Braigliano in the Chennai goal. 

That was as close as we came to seeing a goal in what can arguably be termed as one of the more boring periods of football in the league.