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Iraqi outfit Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya played host to Mumbai City FC in the AFC Champions League when the two sides clashed at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Monday.
The Falcons won their opening game against Al-Jazira FC while the Islanders fell to Al-Shabab FC in their debut match of the Asian competition.
Des Buckingham's side received a boost with the presence of Diego Mauricio in the starting line-up against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya. Mumbai City FC started the match with intent and ended up with an offensive set-piece in the very first minute. However, a foul by Bipin Singh in the resulting corner spoiled their chances.
The opening exchanges were an end-to-end encounter as Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya attempted to build on their previous win while Des Buckingham's men chased their first win of the Asian campaign. The half ended with both teams getting their share of chances without being able to impact the scoreline.
Islanders captain Mourtada Fall played a huge role at the heart of his side's defense. As the first half progressed, the match looked more like a repeat of Mumbai City FC's last encounter, with the opposition calling the shots and controlling every aspect of the game.
Hammadi Ahmad played a few short passes inside the opposition box before creating an opening for himself and launching an attempt past a sliding Mourtada Fall to give the Falcons the lead.
However, Des Buckingham's side put on a fight and conjured a few chances for themselves. Lallianzuala Chhangte tried to score with an effort from outside the box that missed the mark.
Both the Islanders and the Falcons failed to capitalize on the set-piece opportunities at the end of the first half.
Mumbai City FC score twice to seal comeback against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
The Falcons made two changes at the start of the second half. Hammadi Ahmad and Ahmed Lafta took the field in the place of Alaa Abbas and Hussein Jabbar. Meanwhile, the Islanders replaced Vikram Partap Singh with Bradden Inman.
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya stepped up their efforts in the second half while not allowing the Islanders time on the ball. Their relentlessness allowed them to score their first goal of the match.
Hammadi Ahmad played a few short passes inside the opposition box before opening up for himself and launching an attempt past a sliding Mourtada Fall to give the Falcons a lead in this fixture.
The goal woke the Islanders up as they looked like more of a threat in pursuit of an equalizer. Ali Kadhim fouled Diego Mauricio inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The Brazilian stepped up to take the spot kick and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
The equalizer changed the face of this encounter, with the Islanders now seeking a second goal. The Mumbai side were awarded a corner in the 75th minute and Ahmed Jahouh's attempt found Rahul Bheke. The defender turned the ball in to give Des Buckingham's side an edge in the contest.
The Iraqi outfit piled on the pressure but Mourtada Fall and Phurba Lachenpa's performances made sure the scoreline remained the same. The match ended 2-1 in favor of the debutants.
