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FC Goa played a 2-2 draw with Mumbai City FC in the first leg of the first semi-final of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-21. On a hot and humid night at Fatorda Stadium, FC Goa took the lead twice, but Mumbai City FC came back twice thanks to goals from Hugo Boumous and Moudada Fall.
FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando had to deal with the absence of Iván González and Alberto Noguera, so he could only count on four foreigners in this crucial match.
Meanwhile, Mumbai City FC manager Sergio Lobera brought back Hugo Boumous to replace Hernan Santana, while Mehtab Singh teamed up with Mouinada Fall in central defense.
FC Goa had a great opportunity early in the match when Savior Gama jumped to the makeshift right-back of Mumbai City FC in Mandar Rao Dessai. However, a low center by Gama was cleared for a goal kick.
The FC Goa left-back also tested Amrinder Singh with a shot at the near post, but the keeper pushed him for a corner.
Mumbai City FC finally entered the game through Adam Le Fondre, who was working on the right wing. Le Fondre managed to make a wonderful cross beyond FC Goa’s defense, but Bipin Singh was unable to control the ball.
Mumbai City FC had their hearts in their mouths when Alexander Romario fell in the area after a challenge from Vignesh Dakhinamurthy. However, referee Pranjal Banerjee caused play to continue immediately.
FC Goa was finally awarded a penalty in the 19th minute after Mandar brought down a quick Jorge Ortiz Mendoza. Igor Angulo, 37, was right in taking a penalty that beat Amrinder to score his 14th goal of the season.
Mumbai City FC’s Hugo Boumous set up a good chance for Bartholomew Ogbeche, but Dheeraj Singh parried a strong shot from the striker. After a break to cool off, Mumbai City FC posted a magnificent draw through Boumous.
Ahmed Jahouh found Boumous with a quick free kick and the latter landed a lucky deflection from Gama. Boumous ran into the area and passed the ball past a hapless Dheeraj to produce the equalizer.
The Gaurs had another penalty denied by the referee when Jorge Ortiz fell to the ground after coming into contact with Jahouh. At the other end, Dheeraj served his side out of trouble with a great save to deny Ogbeche’s well-connected header.
Dheeraj put his body on the line once more to knock the ball away with his fist, before Fall could find Jahouh’s corner kick.
Mumbai City FC should have scored another goal early in the second half, but Ogbeche fired over the post. Ogbeche seized another great opportunity when he headed wide after Mandar threw a cross.
Out of nowhere, Gama made a great run and fired a magnificent shot into the lower left corner to put FC Goa in the lead once again. It took Mumbai City FC just a couple of minutes to equalize when Fall headed a handsome cross from Jahouh to beat Dheeraj.
The 36-year-old Ogbeche found himself in the middle of the action when he volleyed over the target. Ogbeche did well to knock down Le Fondre’s center, but was unable to test Dheeraj from outside the area.
The game turned intense when Angulo found the back of the net, but the referee annulled the goal claiming that the forward handled the ball.
The referee was once again in the limelight in injury time, when he only handed Mumbai City FC’s Fall a yellow card after he made a two-foot tackle on Angulo. This controversial decision aside, it turned out to be a fair draw given how the two sides fared on the night.
Fluent Jorge Ortiz Mendoza took home the “Hero of the Match” award for a tireless performance in this semifinal. It was Jorge Ortiz who got the FC Goa penalty early in the first half, while still executing the Mumbai City FC defense erratically.
Jorge Ortiz could have won at least one more penalty for FC Goa, but luck was not on his side. Overall, the 28-year-old produced a 68% passing accuracy rate, while also winning several individual matches.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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