Surreal shootout settles captivating tie between ISL s best entertainers
31dAnirudh Menon
1dESPN
Surreal shootout settles captivating tie between ISL s best entertainers
All s well that ends well Phurba Lachenpa and Amrinder Singh hug it out after Mumbai s shootout win.
Faheem Hussain / Sportzpics for ISL
Amrinder Singh, armband around his bicep, leads Mumbai City in prayer. Next to him Sergio Lobera is fervently drawing crosses. The deities being called up on might be different, but the messages are the same. HELP . After 210 minutes of high-voltage, end-to-end football spread over three days, the scores are level. You could argue FC Goa have been the better side, but anyone of a Mumbai persuasion would merely respond with a nod to the scoreboard. 0-0 A.E.T (Agg. 2-2).
ISL semi-final: Brilliant but wasteful FC Goa, adaptive Mumbai City, madness scoring over method
The Islanders progressed to their first final after a 6-5 penalty shootout win over the Gaurs. Mumbai City FC players celebrate as FC Goa goalkeeper looks on. | Vipin Pawar / Sportzpics for ISL
The Indian Super League semi-final between Mumbai City FC and FC Goa was firmly in the balance. With over a hundred minutes of football played, there was precious little to choose between the two teams that had tactically, physically, and technically cancelled each other out.
FC Goa’s brilliance
But from the 27th minute of the second leg when FC Goa’s Alberto Noguera had the game’s first shot on target, the Gaurs started emerging as the stronger force. Going in at half-time, coach Juan Ferrando turned to his super sub Ishan Pandita a good half an hour before he usually does. He sensed there was an opportunity to win the game early.