Bengaluru, Dec 8 (UNI) Grayson’s Bengaluru FC side fell to a heavy defeat at the hands of Mumbai City FC as goals from Nasser El Khayati, Greg Stewart, Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Lallianzuala Chhangte gave the visitors a 4-0 win at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Friday.
The result meant the Blues’ winless streak extended to six games, with the side in ninth place with 7 points from 9 games.
Earlier, Grayson made three changes to his side that drew against Punjab FC at home, with Slavko Damjanovic replacing Shankar Sampingiraj at the back. In attack Halicharan Narzary made way for Sivasakthi Narayanan and Suresh Wangjam returned to replace Keziah Veendorp. Mumbai Interim Coach Anthony Fernandez made three changes of his own as goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa returned. Elsewhere, midfielder El Khayati and Vinit Rai replaced Tiri and Bipin Singh.
The game commenced to a cagey start, but it was the visitors who took the lead with just over ten minutes on the clock. Having slipped free down the right flank, Greg Stewart’s pass into the box found an incoming El Khayati, who slotted past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to give the Islanders the advantage.
Bengaluru had their first big chance of the game with just over 20 minutes on the clock when Javi Hernandez found himself in space at the edge of the area. The Spaniard’s attempted clip into the top corner seemed destined to be the equaliser, but for the fingertips of Lachenpa that tipped it over the bar.
The Blues continued to attack in search of a goal but struggled to find the back of the net, and it was the Islanders that added to their lead at the half-hour mark. Having won a free-kick down the right flank, Stewart’s swing into the area was cleared away by Robin. Mishra, arriving to make contact with the second ball, met it with a volley that took a deflection off Javi to find the net past a hapless Gurpreet.
The hosts had chances to reduce the deficit but met with a stubborn backline. Main’s effort was blocked away before Chhetri’s shot from distance was parried by Lachenpa, as Mumbai took their two-goal advantage down the tunnel.
Grayson rang in a change at half-time as Rohit Kumar replaced Harsh Patre in midfield. Rohit was in on the act immediately, meeting a corner from Javi but his header was off target. The Blues would fall further behind to two spot-kicks, both within the hour mark.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz put the first one away after Robin Yadav was adjudged to have handled inside the area, before Lallianzuala Chhangte, on as a substitute, dispatched his penalty after Blues’ debutant Shivaldo Singh brought down Mishra in the box.
Bengaluru’s struggles in front of goal continued as starters and reinforcements from the bench failed to make inroads into the Mumbai box, with a stubborn backline thwarting every attack. Grayson looked to the bench again and chose to send Rohit Danu on for the final quarter of an hour, but Bengaluru couldn’t find a consolation as they slipped to their biggest ever ISL defeat at home.
The Blues are on the road again, as they travel to face Chennaiyin FC at the JN Stadium, in Chennai on Wednesday, 13th December.
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