Mumbai City, Bengaluru play out intense draw

Udanta Singh gave Bengaluru the lead in the 23rd minute. Modou Sougou equalised in the 31st minute and the teams could not be separated for the remainder of the match as Bengaluru maintained its unbeaten record and Mumbai took its unbeaten streak to seven matches. The point preserves Bengaluru’s three-point advantage at the top while Mumbai City is second with 21 points. 

The home side took the lead in the 23rd minute. Chencho Gyeltshen played a through ball to release Rahul Bheke into space down the left flank. The full-back’s cross found Udanta Singh, who was perfectly positioned in the centre of the box, and the Indian winger managed to beat Lucian Goian to a header into the net.

Mumbai City attempted to punish the host’s high line and Sougou was tasked with exploiting the space behind the Bengaluru backline. After three offside calls, Sougou’s persistence paid off in the 31st minute. Arnold Issoko dribbled infield from the right flank and played a delightful cross into the centre for the striker, whose diving header left Gurpreet Singh rooted to the spot.

Bengaluru was in the ascendancy soon after the break. Mumbai getting reduced to 10 men only helped its cause. With the game on an equal footing, Sehnaj Singh’s foolhardy challenge on Dimas Delgado at the halfway line was punished with a second yellow. Despite frantic passages of play towards the end, there was no victor in what was a closely-fought tie.