East Bengal FC remain winless after ten games in the 2021/22 Indian Super League. The Red and Gold Brigade did, however, hold champions Mumbai City FC to a goalless draw at the Tilak Maidan on Friday night.
East Bengal are now without a win in ten Indian Super League games after their Friday night goalless draw with champions Mumbai City FC. Their 0-0 stalemate against the Islanders, however, marks three straight drawn games, taking them to within two points of second from the bottom NorthEast United. Meanwhile, these are worrying times for Mumbai, as they are without a win in four, having lost two and now drawn two.
In a rather uneventful match, the first chance fell to East Bengal, as a coordinated press achieved a turnover deep inside the Mumbai half. The ball was delivered out on the flank to Bikash Jairu following the turnover, but the winger’s cross was cleared by Mourtada Fall. At the other end, City top scorer Igor Angulo tested waters early with a glancing header, only for his attempt to land straight into the hands of Arindam Bhattacharya.
The two sides created half-chances on either side of the break. Long throws made defences uncomfortable, as they relied on some last-ditch clearances to save the day. The game’s best chance fell to Cassinho in the 55th minute; the midfielder’s long-range missile was too hot to handle for Arindam, but the custodian did manage to parry it away to safety.
By this time, Mumbai were comfortably the dominant side in the game – albeit the Islanders were struggling to create clear-cut chances for their forwards.
The 2020/21 champions were almost put in the lead by an EB player, as Adil Khan’s sweeping block on a Mohammed Rafique cross nearly fell to the wrong side of the post. East Bengal survived, just as they did a late penalty shout from the Islanders, when Mourtada Fall was brought down inside the box, legally, as per the referee.
No goals, then, for either side and a point each to take with them. Mumbai will be the more frustrated of the two, given that they stand to lose their top spot if Hyderabad, ATK Mohun Bagan, or Kerala Blasters win their game in hand.
