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Bengaluru FC consigned Mumbai City to a second successive home defeat as they romped to a comfortable 3-1 win at the Mumbai Football Arena. A double from captain Sunil Chhetri and one from their leading scorer Miku put Bengaluru in complete control of this match. Leo Costa scored one in the second for the hosts, but the game was well and truly up at that point.
The win sees Bengaluru go top of the table with 21 points while Mumbai failed to get back in the top four.
Here's what stood out from the game:
#5 Huge let-off for Balwant
Indian striker Balwant Singh played the full game for Mumbai City here, but his night really should have been cut short in the 38th minute.
The forward was fighting for a ball with Bengaluru right-back Harmanjot Khabra who seemed to wrap his arm around Balwant's neck a bit. The striker wasn't happy, but retaliated by striking out with his arm at Khabra's neck. It was a reckless act and any time you raise your arms, that's an automatic red. Considering he made contact with Khabra as well, it looked certain that he was going to receive his marching orders.
But the referee opted to dish out just the yellow for Balwant despite the severity of the offence. A huge let-off for the home side.
In another incident that went rather under the radar, Abinash Ruidas could have seen red for a two-footed, off-the-ground lunge in the final five minutes of the game. The referee was so sympathetic that he didn't even issue a yellow. Strange.
It's that inconsistency that has had both fans and teams raging. Whether it's the first minute or last minute, whether it's intentional or in frustration, such fouls should not go unpunished.
#2 And the award for worst play-acting goes to...Harmanjot Khabra!
As mentioned previously, Balwant was lucky to remain on the pitch after striking out at Khabra with his arm.
However, what was truly comical was Khabra's reaction to it. As soon as he was struck, Khabra didn't react at all, seemingly content that the referee had blown his whistle already. But in a delayed reaction he turned around, looked at the referee and then went down like he'd been shot by a sniper, clutching the side of his neck. It was a true ROFL moment!
We've seen our fair share of over-reactions as football fans, but this was terrible at best and atrociously hilarious at worst.
#3 Was this a dive?
Bengaluru took the lead in this game in the 43rd minute when Sunil Chhetri scored from the spot after the referee adjudged he was fouled in the box.
Chhetri had made a good run into the box on the left and sensing danger, both Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Balwant Singh, who was tracking back, went in for a challenge. Chhetri went down and the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.
Initially, it looked like he was clipped by either or both of Balwant and Wadoo, but replays showed that the contact was barely there, if at all. Plus Chhetri seemed to go straight down. The India captain has been booked previously in this year's tournament for similar instances for attempted simulation.
On review, this didn't look like a penalty and perhaps it was just one of those moments of good fortune that went Bengaluru and Chhetri's way.
#4 Mumbai have a wall, but it doesn't matter as home fortress crumbles
The third goal for Bengaluru really put the game beyond reach for Mumbai City.
It came off a free-kick that really summed up Mumbai's night. Miku was brought down right on the edge of Mumbai's penalty area by Gerson Vieira. It was a very promising position indeed.
After Mumbai City took an eternity to set up a wall, all Miku had to do was coolly step up and slot it in the opposite direction to Amrinder Singh's right, catching everyone off.
This was shambolic - for such close-range free-kicks, you do your best to make sure an easy path to goal is blocked out, but not here. There was really no point to this wall for it left one side of the goal completely open.
The result is a huge blow to Mumbai City who now have lost two home games in a row, after losing to the Kerala Blasters last Sunday. Mumbai have prided themselves on doing well at home in previous seasons, but it's now slipping away.
#5 Chhetri equals his season-best tally at his old stomping ground
The India captain bagged two goals today to take his goal tally for the season up to seven.
After the penalty, he scored a second in the 52nd minute after a quick counter that saw Udanta Singh square the ball to him.
With tonight's effort, Chhetri managed to equal his previous highest tally in the ISL. That came in the 2015 season when he was playing for the very side he beat today - Mumbai City - back in what was season two.
He hasn't been at his sharpest recently, but today he was on the money, putting away the chances that fell his way.
He is sure to break that record with many more games still remaining this season to set a new personal benchmark.
Miku too went joint-top in the goal-scoring charts with his goal today, his ninth. He now shares top spot with FC Goa's Coro with Chhetri not far behind at seven.
Roca got it right tonight putting Miku back up top; he had gone with Braulio Nobrega up front and Miku in the hole for their last game. Udanta in the eleven also made a difference as Bengaluru showed their class.
