Mumbai: Substitute Eugeneson Lyngdoh scored winner towards the fag end to give FC Pune City second straight victory in the Indian Super League on Thursday. With the win, the visitors extracted sweet revenge of their loss earlier in the tournament to state rivals Mumbai City FC with 1-0 win at Mumbai Football Arena. Pune City leapfrogged from seventh spot to fourth with 12 points in nine games while Mumbai City stayed at second spot with 15 points in 10 games.
Sunil Chhetri was the only Bengaluru FC player who was included in the starting XI on Thursday while rest three in Mumbai City along with Pune's Lyngdoh were benched. Chhetri's successful forward partner of last season Sony Norde wasn't even in the 21-member squad. Mumbai's Sehnaj Singh had first aim at empty goal in the 12th minute amid cluster of defenders from outside the box after goalkeeper Edel Bete had come forward but his shot was wayward.
Mumbai conceded first corner in the 28th minute and Lenny Rodrigues took it smartly with grounder for unmarked Narayan Das at edge of the box but the finishing shot was poor. The hosts controlled the first half and were relying on long balls with Diego Forlan, Chhetri and Matias Defederico exerting pressure on Mohammed Sissoko led defense. In the seond half Pune City introduced Lyngdoh for the first time this season. The home side kept earning free-kicks but none looked threatening until Forlan unleashed a thumping effort in the 75th minute but Bete's faint touch helped it to find the cross bar.
Substitue Otacilio Brito Alves (Cafu) made impression with his first touch in the 84th minute by releasing a through ball for Forlan but the Uruguayan messed it up with tired finish. Pune City were applying pressure in the last quarter and earned a a few flag kicks reached close but could break deadlock only in the 89th minute when under pressure goalkeeper Albino Gomes failed to grab the ball cleanly and Lyngdoh slotted it into back of the net.
