Ten-man Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) showed grit of the highest order to see off Mumbai City FC in a 0-0 draw in the semi-final second leg and sail into the Indian Super League (ISL) final with a 3-2 aggregate victory in the tie.

ATK led Mumbai 3-2 from the first offing in Kolkata and needed just a draw to edge out their rivals, who despite topping the league table, bowed out of the competition after reaching the knockout stages for the first time.

Barcelona to face PSG, Bayern to play Arsenal in CL Last 16

Cristiano Ronaldo wins his fourth Ballon d’Or

Funny Classroom Videos; Student Reactions to Punishment | Glint TV

This is the second time the inaugural champions ATK reached the final of the tournament, a first under coach Jose Molina who took over the reins from Antonio Habas this season. Habas led ATK to their first title in 2014.

ATK played more than 45 minutes without full-back Robert Lalthlamuana who was sent off for a second booking near the end of the first half.

A brawl broke out after the match when ATK’s Juan Beloncoso was tripped by Mumbai’s Leo Costa. Several players got involved in separate altercations when Belencoso reacted in an ugly manner prompting Thiago Cunha from the Mumbai bench to attempt a kung-fu kick at the Spaniard.

Kolkata players and backroom staff members chased Cunha after that, capping off an unprecedented incident which saw Cunha and Beloncoso handed red cards.

ATK will now take on either Kerala Blasters or Delhi Dynamos who play in the second leg of the other semi-final on Wednesday.

In the contest at the Mumbai Football Arena, it took seven minutes for the hosts to get a look in but India captain Sunil Chhetri was guilty of spurning a one-on-one chance with an onrushing goalkeeper Debjit Mazumder keeping the Bengaluru FC forward at bay.

ATK’s first real opportunity came near the half-hour mark when Javi Lara found Abhinash Ruidas with acres of space with the winger’s cross finding Belencoso inside the area. Mumbai goalkeeper Amrinder Singh sneaked in to punch the ball away but not out of danger as a lurking Lalrindika Ralte — who replaced Bidyananda Singh in the 14th minute — took a swipe at goal only for Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte to effect an important block.

The match was characterised by frayed tempers which was not unexpected with so much at stake in the second leg. But things reached boiling point when Lalthlamuana picked up his second yellow card near half-time to trudge down the tunnel and leave the visitors to fend with ten men.

He was guilty of fouling Matias Defederico for the red before picking up his first booking in the 34th minute.

Molina ringed in a tactical change in a bid to bottle up their rivals who needed to score in order to harbour any hopes of turning the tables on ATK. Full-back Keegan Pereira came in place of winger Ruidas.

ATK had a chance to strengthen their hold on the game when Belencoso had a chance of converting a good-looking Lara cross across the face of goal but failed to get anything on it.

Stephen Pearson also skewed a gilt-edged chance over the bar on the volley.

With two minutes remaining to the final whistle, Lucian Goian failed to connect from close first followed by a swinging volley which was saved by Debjit.

Chhetri also had a chance to put the ball behind the net from a header but failed in his attempt as the hosts walked away frustrated.

IANS

FC Pune City scored a late goal to beat Mumbai City FC 1-0 in the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament on Thursday.

The match appeared to be heading for a goalless draw until midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh capitalised on a goalkeeping error in the 89th minute to give the visitors a 1-0 victory and three important points.

Pune lost the first leg against Mumbai and Thursday’s win was sweet revenge for them.

The win helped Pune climb to the top four for the first time in the standings, having 12 points from nine matches.

Read ISL: Malouda stars in Delhi’s 4-1 win over Chennaiyin FC

Also Read: Big names in ISL will increase profile of Indian football: Henry

Mumbai remained at the second spot with 15 points from 10 matches. They were the better side but a lapse in concentration cost them the match.

Pune maintained a very disciplined approach and gave hardly any chances to Mumbai though they enjoyed superior ball possession.

In the second half, Mumbai had more chances from marquee player Diego Forlan.

But on both occasions Pune goalkeeper Edel Bete was up to the task.

First Forlan’s free-kick bounced awkwardly in front of Bete but he still managed to put it away. Towards the later stages, Forlan’s shot was kept out by the outstretched feet of Bete.

It was only in the closing stages that Pune had their first shot on goal when midfielder Jonatan Lucca drew out a save from Mumbai goalkeeper Albino Gomes.

Pune secured an unlikely win when Eugeneson scored the only goal in the 89th minute.

Defender Narayan Das crossed into the box and Albino Gomes came off the line, only to drop the ball after clashing with his own player.

An opportunistic Lyngdoh slammed the ball into the back of the net from close range evading a desperate dive from Gomes.

IANS

NorthEast United FC and Mumbai City FC will be eyeing toppling Atletico de Kolkata from the top of the table when they lock horns in an Indian Super League football encounter on Saturday.

NorthEast, who were the early pacesetters, have slipped to the fifth position due to a recent spate of unfavourable results while Mumbai are second and have the same number of points as league leaders ATK but have inferior goal difference.

ATK are top with 12 points from seven matches, followed by Mumbai, who also have 12 points but have played a match more.

Third placed Delhi Dynamos have 10 points from seven games, as have fourth Chennaiyin FC and fifth NorthEast, their places being determined by their goal differences.

Read Ronaldo, Messi head FIFA’s shortlist for player of the year award

A win for Mumbai will catapult them to the top with 15 points while a victory for NorthEast will also help them reach the first spot with 13 points.

NorthEast — who are playing after a gap of almost a week — lost to ATK in their last game despite leading at one point of the match while Mumbai played out a 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC.

NorthEast coach Nelo Vingada is not known to tinker a lot with his playing eleven but goalkeeper Subrata Paul’s injury in the last game could be critical for the hosts.

The in-form veteran picked up a knock in the second half and with second choice custodian T.P. Rehenesh already nursing an injury, the home side might have to start with a foreign keeper in Wellington Gomes.

Emiliano Alfaro — the highest scorer so far with five goals –will again be tasked to find the back of the net and the Mumbai defence will have to be on their toes to negate his threat.

Visiting centre-back Lucian Goan — who has so far made 32 tackles in the tournament — will be facing his toughest test yet with Nicolas Valez and Yusa Katsumi forming a strong attacking force for the home team.

The Mumbai attack is not bad either and the fact that star marquee Diego Forlan has found the net twice in five games is good news.

Britto Alves has been impressive too and so has been Haitian Sony Norde.

In the last match, Forlan played behind Norde in their offensive line-up and it remains to be seen whether coach Alexandre Guimaraes deploys the same strategy against NorthEast at the Indira Gandhi International Stadium as well.

In the past, NorthEast have won two matches against Mumbai in the four they have played. Mumbai won once while the other match ended in a stalemate.

IANS

Mumbai City FC notched up their third win of the season, courtesy a second-half goal from marquee player Diego Forlan, as hosts Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) suffered the first defeat of their Indian Super League football campaign.

The result saw Mumbai go top of the table with 11 points from seven matches while ATK slipped a position to third, on nine points from six games.

Forlan scored his second goal of the tournament in the 79th minute off a Sony Norde pass in front of France football legend Thierry Henry who was in attendance.

Former French star Thierry Henry in India with Sourav Ganguly and Nita Ambani

ATK were coming off a win against Delhi Dynamos and were playing their second consecutive home game. ATK coach Jose Molina drafted in Stephen Pearson, Abinash Ruidas, Arnab Mondal, Javi Lara and Robert Lalthlamuana into the squad.

Also Read; Kerala come from behind to beat Goa 2-1 in ISL

Mumbai FC suffered a shock defeat against FC Goa in their last game and made several changes with Anwar Ali, Sehnaj Singh, Cafu, Gerson and Albino Gomes coming into the side. Influential striker Matias Defederico, Pronay Haldar and Leo Costa were all missing due to niggles.

In a packed Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, it was the away side that unlocked the Kolkata defence in the eighth minute.

Cafu and Forlan combined effortlessly outside the box before setting up Sony Norde down the left flank. The Haitian chested the ball well but his left footed effort missed the goal by a whisker.

With Cafu and Forlan controlling the match, Atletico were left frustrated with striker Sameehg Doutie kept in check by Sena Ralte.

In the 25th minute, ATK midfielder Javi Lara was awarded a free-kick from about 25 yards but he failed to hit the target.

In the 33rd minute, Mumbai defender Sena Ralte made a bucaneering run and sent in a good ball into the box, which fell to Norde who was lurking just inside the box. But Norde’s effort though was tipped over by ATK goalkeeper Debjit Majumder.

Both sides went into the break goalless.

Much against the run of play, the visitors took the lead in the 79th minute when Forlan struck the ball into the roof of the net after Norde did well to set him up from inside the box albeit off a deflection. Debjit was at fault as he could have done better with his tame effort to block the ball.

In the dying minutes of the match, Lara got a free-kick from the edge of the box but Mumbai goalkeeper Albino Gomes parried his effort away.

IANS

FC Goa defeated Mumbai City FC 1-0 in the 19th match of the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Friday. Richarlyson Barbos scored in the 41st minute to provide a vital lead in an evenly contested match.

FC Goa, which was placed at bottom of the league points table with three defeats and a draw from four matches have now recorded their first win in cash-rich league while the hosts are currently at the second place on the points table.

Goa started off on a positive note but soon took the attack to the opposition as a long ball from midfield found Julio Cesar with only the goalkeeper but before he could pulled the trigger, Aibor tackled him and avoided the problem.

The success came in the 41st minute when Cesar passed the ball towards Richarlyson, who made a run from outside the box and slammed in the net to make it 1-0.

Mumbai had their chances in the second half but could not able to make the opportunities count as a result the game ended with FC Goa getting the full three points.

IANS

The football freak that Ranbir Kapoor is, the actor broke a football coloured handi and he immersed himself in the festive mood around him.

Ranbir owns the Mumbai City FC and announced the club’s new venue at the heart of the city and urged the Mumbaikars to support his team in the coming edition of the Indian Super League.

Ranbir will be seen next on-screen in Karan Johar’s next ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’.

Also Watch: Virat, Zaheer, SRK, Ranbir, Amitabh attend Pro Kabaddi League 4th season Opening