MARGAO: Sporting Clube de Goa will face Aizawl FC in the semi-finals of the Hero Federation Cup after the Flaming Oranje defeated Mumbai FC 1-0 at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on Wednesday (May 04, 2016) to win 2-0 on aggregate.
Subhashish Bose scored the only goal of the match in the 46th minute from the penalty box to seal the victory for the Goan Club side.
Early into the game, Mumbai made their intentions clear and came agonisingly close in the sixth minute when they won a free kick from a dangerous area on the left. Eric Brown flung in a free-kick into the far post which was headed back into the danger area by skipper Taisuke Matsugae. But, an onrushing Minchol Son could only head the ball over the crossbar despite having the time and space.
At the other end, Mumbai goalkeeper Kunal Sawant was forced into making his first save of the game when a Rowlin Borges free-kick from the right flank almost crept into goal. Sawant intercepted by diving full stretch and parried it away.
The 29-year-old was called into action again when a low-swerving free-kick by Pratesh Shirodkar was controlled and collected by the keeper. His colleague at the other end Arindam Bhattacharja then saw a Steven Dias free-kick from 25-yards zip just over the crossbar.
Set-pieces were the order of the day in the first quarter until a brilliant team move almost ended in a Sporting goal. Nicholas Fernandes who was running down the left flank slipped a pass to Passi, who in turn quickly moved the ball to Pratesh in the midfield. The diminutive midfielder read the run of Ganesh Thakur down the right channel and slid a perfectly weighted ball, which was quickly fed into the six-yard box by the winger.
However, no Sporting shirts were in the box for the simple tap-in as the chance went begging.
Rowlin and Passi had half-chances as Sporting were on the ascendancy. The home side had the best chance of the game as half-time was approaching when Rowlin struck a dipping free-kick that was tipped over by Sawant in what was the last action of a goalless half.
The game had barely resumed when Mumbai FC conceded a peculiar penalty as Ashutosh Mehta tried to handle the ball, before tumbling on an onrushing Passi.
Defender Subhashish Bose stepped up and scored from the spot to hand Sporting a 2-0 aggregate in the tie.
Having to score at least two goals, Mumbai started resorting to long balls into the box and Sporting were looking to hit on the counter. One such move saw Pratesh run down the left channel and slip a pass to an unmarked Nicholas whose shot was headed clear Minchol in the 70th minute.
Mumbai’s best chance of the half fell to Sushil Singh in the 77th minute when Steven Dias found the forward in the box with an inch perfect cross from the left which was headed inches wide.
The Hero of the match Arindam managed to keep a clean sheet as he punched away a header by Pratik Chowdhary from a set-piece in injury-time, as Mumbai FC bowed out of the tournament losing 0-2 on aggregate to Sporting Goa.
