Mumbai: Nicolas Anelka’s opportunistic strike gave Mumbai City FC their second consecutive victory in the Indian Super League (ISL), beating Delhi Dynamos 1-0 here on Wednesday.
With the win, Mumbai City FC overtook Delhi Dynamos and moved to third in the standings with nine points from six matches. Delhi have six points from six outings and are sixth in the table.
Anelka was laudably set up by Subhash Singh and Mumbai’s marquee player made no mistake in scoring on 59 minutes what proved to be the deciding goal.
Delhi enjoyed a good spell of possession in the opening exchanges but failed to register a single shot on goal during their supremacy.
Mumbai came close in the 18th minute through Jan Stohanzl, whose shot from distance went wide, and Lalrandika Ralte, whose shot was too weak to trouble the Delhi keeper.
Then Mumbai started to dictate proceedings, with Mads Junker heading over from close range and Subash Singh squandering a golden chance after being beautifully set up by Anelka.
After the break, Delhi threatened to take the lead through Gustavo, who cut inside from the right and shot over.
But it was Mumbai who eventually broke the deadlock just on the stroke of the hour mark. Subash’s accurate centre found Anelka, whose deft left-footed finish beat the onrushing Delhi goalkeeper.
The goal prompted the away side to call their marquee player Alessandro Del Piero on to the pitch.
Mumbai got several opportunities on the break as Delhi searched for the equaliser and Del Piero should have made them pay for their profligacy, but he surprisingly headed wide from six yards after meeting a dangerous swerving centre from Steven Dias.
