Play-by-Play: Mumbai City held to a goalless draw by FC Goa as both sides flounder chances aplenty

DESPITE A FLURRY OF CHANCES on both ends the match between FC Goa and Mumbai City ended in a goalless draw tonight at Fatorda, leaving both teams somewhat disappointed for missing out on a win that came tantalisingly close.

From the beginning, Mumbai City established themselves as the better team in terms of keeping possession and creating chances but some fine saves from Laxmikant Kattimani (who had a taxing night under the crossbar) and relentless marking and tackles from Gregory Arnolin ensured that Mumbai attackers never felt comfortable in the final third. Both Sunil Chhetri and Diego Forlan got relatively easy chances to put away but they failed to make the finish.

After the second half, FC Goa consolidated and started creatng chances of their own. They came close to scoring multiple times, including a last-minute opportunity that could have sealed the game for them, but could not make good on them. Robin Singh was responsible for a couple of hand-in-mouth (literally the reaction of Zico at the touchline) wastes and Julio Cesar, who came on in the second half, failed to score from a one-on-one with Amrinder, who pulled off a spectacular save to keep Mumbai City in the game.

Mumbai City came into this game to beat a bottom-table team and get to the top of the points table. But the fight put on by an Indian-majority FC Goa will leave the home team with a lot of confidence, despite them not getting the win.

As a result of this draw, Mumbai City are now second in the table, with 16 points from 11 matches. FC Goa are no longer bottom-table, with 11 points from 11 games and showing an upswing in terms of form (they have picked up 7 points from the last 4 games). But the Gaurs' chances to make it into the top four looks bleak because though they are just 2 points behind 4th placed ATK, the 2014 champions have played two games less. 

Here's how the entire match unfolded, narrated in blow-by-blow details via our real time match commentary...