Mumbai City 1-1 Kerala Blasters: 3 Reasons why the visitors only managed a draw

Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City FC played out a dour 1-1 draw at the Mumbai Football Arena, thereby extending both sides’ win-less streak to 6 matches.

The visitors began the brighter of the two and seemed inclined to assert their passing identity on the encounter. However, akin to many a time this term, they failed to conjure an end product in the final third.

Mumbai, meanwhile, grew into the game after the opening quarter and were much better as the first half drew to a close, although the Blasters were clearly the more dominant outfit.

After the teams re-emerged from the tunnel, the Islanders looked much better in possession and transition as they cut out the spaces in midfield and barely allowed Kerala to play out from the back.

Yet, against the run of play, the visitors nudged ahead in the 75th minute when Messi Bouli struck home a left-footed shot off Jessel Carneiro’s cross. A couple of minutes later though, Amine Chermiti pegged the Blasters back as he popped up with a goal of his own.

The scorers weren’t troubled thereafter as the game meandered to a dull 1-1 stalemate.

Here is a look at why the Kerala Blasters could only manage a draw.

#3 Mumbai City FC’s improved midfield showing in the second half

Mumbai City FC began the game extremely sluggishly and were swarmed over by the visitors during the early exchanges. And, throughout that period, the hosts encountered problems trying to contain the Blasters’ midfield with Paulo Machado, Rowllin Borges and Raynier Fernandes failing to impose themselves on the game.

However, after the break, the Islanders looked a completely different outfit in the middle of the park as they showcased more composure and incision. Unlike the opening 45 minutes, they controlled the tempo of the match and played the encounter to their pace, meaning that the Blasters were second best in midfield in the latter half.

Machado and Rowllin grew into the game as they picked up the ball in deeper positions and were also able to play around the visitors’ midfield press. Additionally, the introduction of Bipin Singh allowed Mohamed Larbi to slot into the middle third and provide extra muscle.

Consequently, a lot of the Blasters’ passing avenues were cut down, thereby forcing them to look for long balls into Messi. The above enabled the Mumbai defenders to hold a slightly deeper line and deal with the threat of the Cameroonian forward.

Most importantly though, the Islanders were willing to slightly forego their high-pressing philosophy, a tactic Kerala got the better off in the opening half.

In the process, that made the hosts more compact in midfield, thereby laying the ideal platform to churn out an impressive showing after the break.

#2 Kerala create very little of note apart from the goal

Before the game started, Kerala had scored 5 goals from their first 6 fixtures, meaning that they cast themselves as a side looking slightly scrappy in the final third. To put things into perspective, Eelco Schattorie even quipped in the pre-match press conference that their supply line hadn’t been up to scratch.

Inevitably, all eyes were trained on how the visitors would go about their offensive play on Thursday. To that end, they even fielded Sahal Abdul Samad, a crafty midfielder capable of unlocking any defence.

However, nothing of that sort materialised as the Blasters looked devoid of ideas for large swathes of the game. Even though they enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the first half, they created very little as they often floundered after getting into promising positions.

Through the opening 45 minutes, the clearest opportunity fell to Messi, who had manufactured his shot courtesy a brilliant touch and an equally wonderful bicycle kick.

After the restart though, the Blasters spiralled downwards on that front as they failed to display the requisite bravery and courage to play through the lines. Subsequently, several balls were hoofed forward for Messi, who waged a lone battle against the likes of Mato Grgic and Pratik Chouwdhary.

And, to personify their shoddy attacking display, Sahal, who was perceived as the solution to their problems, only managed 10 successful passes and 22 touches before being hauled off at the hour-mark.

Through the early stages of the season, Kerala have portrayed quite a few deficiencies, frailties that haven’t shown any signs of disappearing. And, courtesy another rudderless display in Mumbai, those furrowed brows only would’ve gotten more discernible.

#3 A strange game embodied by a strange passage of play

Eelco has plenty of questions to answer (Credits: ISL)

Both sides came into the encounter needing a victory to resurrect their faltering campaign. However, for a majority of the game, both outfits seemed content to not lose, rather than risking it for a tournament-altering victory.

Unsurprisingly, they sparred with each other, meaning that each team pushed and probed without really threatening the opposition rear-guard. Hence, the game had traversed a slightly strange path, especially considering the predicament facing them.

Yet, akin to the rather peculiar pattern of play, the contest suddenly burst into life in the final quarter.

In the 75th minute, Mumbai indulged in their customary individual defensive error as Sarthak Golui allowed Jeakson Singh to waltz into the box. Though the latter’s shot was saved beautifully by Amrinder Singh, the resulting passage of play saw Jessel Carneiro pick out Messi near the penalty spot. And, the striker finished off the move with aplomb.

The hundreds representing the Manjapadda broke into a rapturous cheer with several even dreaming of an improbable away victory. However, their celebrations were cut short in a matter of moments as Rehenesh TP dubiously handled the ball inside his 6-yard box to enable Chermiti to capitalise.

Thereafter, both sides searched fervently for a winner, although they rarely managed to trouble either goalkeeper, with the closest being Kevyn Angoue’s attempted through ball to Larbi.

Yet, despite the Islanders and the Blasters’ change in approach, they failed to display the adequate conviction, meaning that they played out a drab draw, barring that manic 3-minute period.

More worryingly, each looked capable of making a difference yet weren’t able to stitch together a suitable end product, a characteristic that has reared its ugly head once too often this season.

Though it might be a tad too early to hit panic stations, maybe both sides might want to iron out these flaws swiftly. After all, time is a luxury the ISL doesn’t accord.

Edited by Kingshuk Kusari