Match 19 ; Mumbai City FC 0 - 1 FC Goa

Richarlyson guides FC Goa to their first win of Hero ISL 2016

FC Goa beat Mumbai City FC 1-0 to register their first win of Hero Indian Super League 2016 at the Mumbai Football Arena on Friday evening. The only goal of the game came in the 41st minute after Richarlyson conjured up an exquisite finish to set the Gaurs on their way.

After a stop-start opening 27 minutes to the game, the visitors had a pop from distance through Trindade Goncalves, who shot wide of target. Mumbai’s brightest player of the half was Sony Norde, but Goa double-teamed the Haitian and minimised the threat posed by him for the most part of the first period.

The visitors managed to break the deadlock four minutes before half-time with their first shot on target. Julio Cesar’s free-kick managed to find Richarlyson, who had made a surging run into box. The Brazilian midfielder produced a spectacular finish on the half-volley to give the Gaurs a 1-0 lead.

Mumbai stepped up their game after falling behind in search of a leveller before the break. Their marquee player Diego Forlan took a shot from distance in the 43rd minute but failed to test Subhasish Roy Chowdhury in Goa’s goal.

The Gaurs should have doubled their lead within a minute of the restart after Cesar headed a brilliant diagonal ball by Richarlyson straight to Robin Singh on the edge of Mumbai’s six-yard box. The Indian international’s right-footed shot was straight at Chowdhury and lacked the power to beat Goa’s shot-stopper.

Forlan went close to scoring for Mumbai a minute later after shooting narrowly wide of Goa’s goal in the 47th minute. Another dangerous free-kick by Cesar two minutes later went inches wide of goal with none of Mumbai's attackers managing to get a head on it.

Matias Defederico started to influence the game more in the second period and ran at Goa’s defence before sending a left-footed effort wide in the 53rd minute. The Argentine attacker wasn’t on the pitch for much longer though as he was replaced by Cafu due to an injury at the hour mark.

Another Mumbai substitute Jackichand Singh made an impact after coming on the pitch by testing Chowdhury with a shot on goal after cutting in from the left flank in the 63rd minute. Norde burst into life in the 80th minute when he skipped past a few players in Goa’s defence before unleashing a powerful and low shot at goal. The Haitian’s attempt, however, was blocked by Rafael Dumas for Goa.

Forlan had another free-kick sail over the bar in the 86th minute. Cesar then collected the ball in Mumbai’s half two minutes later and ran at the hosts’ defence before taking a cheeky shot on goal, which Mumbai’s goalkeeper Roberto Volpato saved to keep his side in the game. Mumbai couldn’t create any chance of note in the closing stages though as Alexandre Guimaraes’ men stumbled to their second defeat of the season in six matches.

Match Awards:

Club award: FC Goa

Amul Fittest Player of the Match: Trindade Goncalves

DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Julio Cesar

Maruti Suzuki Swift Moment of the Match: Aiborlang Khongjee

ISL Emerging Player of the Match: Raju Gaikwad

Hero of the Match: Richarlyson