Mumbai Metropolis posts facile win, seals ultimate knockout berth

Lallianzuala Chhangte nets Mumbai’s opening purpose previous the Bengaluru ’keeper Sahil Poonia of their Indian Tremendous League match on the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on March 11, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: Okay. MURALI KUMAR

Defending champion Mumbai Metropolis FC entered the 2024-25 Indian Tremendous League playoffs on the expense of Odisha FC following a 2-0 victory over Bengaluru FC on the Sree Kanteerava Stadium right here on Tuesday.

First-half targets from Lallianzuala Chhangte and Nikolaos Karelis had been sufficient as Mumbai (36 factors) pipped Odisha (33) to bag the final accessible knockout berth. Within the single-legged playoff, Mumbai will once more meet BFC — which was assured third spot whatever the end result versus Mumbai — within the Backyard Metropolis later this month.

In that tie, BFC must enhance leaps and bounds, for Tuesday’s efficiency was largely pedestrian. First-choice goalie Gurpreet Singh Sandhu began on the bench whereas Chinglensana Singh and Alberto Noguera weren’t even within the squad. The inventive spark Ryan Williams was substituted on the break and captain Sunil Chhetri, for giant stretches, minimize a pissed off determine.

Paying the penalty

Mumbai, with all the things to play for, went forward within the eighth minute when Chhangte blindsided defender Aleksandar Jovanovic and bundled the ball from close-range after a goalmouth melee. The burly Australian was once more within the thick of issues as he fouled Karelis contained in the field on 37 minutes and noticed BFC’s deficit worsen.

BFC didn’t have a single shot on purpose nevertheless it did come shut twice within the first interval — when a Chhetri header throughout the face of the purpose missed Edgar Mendez by a whisker and when the skipper mis-controlled a splendid aerial ball from Williams on the far submit. Within the second half Mendez shot vast as he tried to beat an advancing Phurba Lachenpa.

However for these nervous moments, Mumbai was compact and managed the match in knowledgeable style. Within the second interval, it outplayed the host and will have scored much more. Vikram Pratap Singh’s gorgeous long-ranger on 78 minutes went off the crossbar after being tipped over by ’keeper Sahil. Nonetheless, the job was carried out by then.

The end result: Bengaluru FC 0 misplaced to Mumbai Metropolis FC 2 (Chhangte 8, Karelis 37).