I-League: Dias's show saves Mumbai FC from relegation

While the Mumbai FC team must have been stressing about their must-win game against DSK Shivajians for at least a couple of weeks, it took them just a couple of minutes of brilliance to avoid being relegated from the I-League.

Jayesh Rane and Eric Brown found the net in the 20th and 22nd minute respectively to put Mumbai on the front foot in their 4-0 win over Shivajians at the Cooperage Stadium here on Sunday. Sushil Kumar Singh scored the third with a brilliant solo run in the 38th minute and Brown doubled his goal tally in the 90th minute to complete the rout.

A loss, and Mumbai would have been relegated as Shillong Lajong beat East Bengal 1-0 in the other game on Sunday. Mumbai finished fifth in the nine-team league. Though Shivajians finished last, Aizawl, who finished second-last were relegated. That's because Shivajians, being a new team are given a three-year immunity from relegation.

Mumbai's experienced player Steven Dias was the star of the match and had a hand in the build-up of the first three goals. Mumbai broke the deadlock when Dias played an aerial through ball to Ashutosh Mehta waiting on the right flank. Mehta centred it in, and his ball found the waiting Rane, who took a couple of touches before slotting it in the right bottom corner of the net.

Mumbai doubled the lead when Dias played a back-flip to U-22 player Hitesh Sharma, whose grounded cross landed perfectly for Brown who just drilled it past the keeper.

For the third goal, Dias outfoxed a couple of Shivajian players in the centre of the field and played it to Brown, who in turn played a flighted through ball to Singh, who had two defenders breathing down his neck, including India international Sandesh Jhingan. But Singh controlled the ball, held off a Jhingan challenge and netted from a couple of yards outside the box. Such was the power of the shot that the goalkeeper had no chance to react.

DSK's only chance of the first half came in the second-last minute when Douhow Pierre's back-heel pass found Juan Barraso, who was waiting in the centre of the box, but his shot was too powerful and went way above the crossbar.

In the second half, Mumbai, content with the scoreline, played a rather defensive game and didn't really create any chances. Shivajians did try to press hard, but were thwarted by the Mumbai defense. South Korean Minchol Son played a stellar role, especially with aerial balls, to see his team maintain a clean sheet.

Brown completed his brace in the 90th minute with an excellent curler, in a move that came from nothing. Rane, controlling the ball on the left flank, just laid it for Brown waiting in the centre. Brown's curling shot was too far for goalkeeper Subrata Paul to reach.

Mumbai controlled majority of the possession from the start and never looked like a team fighting against relegation. The hosts' midfield seemed all charged and weren't afraid to control the ball and play a few passes before floating the ball for the strikers, something that they didn't master the entire season.

Mumbai coach Khalid Jamil lauded Brown's effort not only for the game, but the entire season. "Brown started almost all the games and his work rate is excellent. Today (Sunday) he actually showed what he is capable of."

Jamil also praised Dias, saying it was because of him that Mumbai were able to pull off the last two wins. "Dias is very calm on the ball and is brilliant with dead-ball situations. The last two games, he played a major part and that's why we are still in the I-League," he said.

Stopwatch: Mumbai 4 (Rane 20, Brown 22, 90, Singh 38) bt DSK Shivajians 0, Shillong Lajong 1 (I Vanmalsawma 62) bt East Bengal 0