Mumbai hold home side Kerala to goalless draw in ISL
Action from the ISL match between Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City FC on Wednesday. - SUNOJ NINAN MATHEW
Kochi: Kerala Blasters missed the opportunity of maximising home advantage to settle for a goalless draw with Mumbai City FC in Round Eight of the Hero Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium here on Wednesday. It was a tale of resolute defence and a dangerously slippery ground as a result of heavy rain courtesy of which Mumbai and Kerala remain unchanged in fourth and sixth places respectively in the points table.
Both sides came into the game as poor attacking units, with just one goal scored in the past three matches, and did every bit possible to enhance their reputation. Nicolas Anelka who had scored the winner from a freekick in their previous meeting did not have a dead-ball situation to aim at though he has certainly got used to playing in the midfield to suit Mumbai’s counter-attacking game.
The Frenchman was kept quiet by the Blasters’ solid centre-back pair of Cedric Hengbart and Colin Falvey. But he had a chance for glory on a counter that was punched away by David James who made a timely charge out of the box to clear from under his nose.
But Mumbai’s best player was their goalkeeper Subrata Pal who made a massive save in the 8th minute and was constantly on his toes.The India shot-stopper showed great reflexes to parry a Penn Orji’s header from close before forcing a vital block from Hengbart’s rebound, which was the sharpest point in Kerala’s game.
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