Mumbai City FC withstood a spirited second-half challenge from Inter Kashi FC to secure a 2–1 victory in the Indian Super League, ISL 2025-26 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
Goals from Noufal PN and Lallianzuala Chhangte ensured the Islanders claimed their third win of the season, while Rohit Danu scored the lone goal for the hosts.
With the result, Mumbai City FC climbed to third place in the standings with 11 points, while Inter Kashi remained eighth with five points. Mumbai captain Lallianzuala Chhangte, who scored the decisive goal and played a key role in the build-up play, was named the Player of the Match.
Mumbai Dominate Early Exchanges
Mumbai City began the contest strongly, controlling possession from the opening minutes and pushing Inter Kashi deep into their own half. The Islanders looked sharp on the flanks, with winger Ayush Chhikara heavily involved in the early attacks. The first clear opportunity came in the fourth minute, when Chhikara found space inside the box and attempted a close-range effort, but Inter Kashi goalkeeper Lluis Tarrés reacted quickly to gather the shot.
Mumbai continued to press forward, and Chhikara came close again in the 18th minute after receiving a pass from Chhangte. However, his right-footed attempt drifted narrowly wide of the post.
Midfielder Ortíz also tried his luck from distance in the 20th minute, but his long-range shot sailed over the crossbar. Inter Kashi struggled to create meaningful chances during this phase of the match, though Sumeet Passi attempted a shot from outside the penalty area in the 22nd minute, which was blocked by the Mumbai defence.
Photo: Santanu / Focus Sports / ISL
Despite Mumbai’s dominance in possession, Inter Kashi remained compact and disciplined defensively, waiting for opportunities to attack on the counter.
Their best chance of the first half arrived in the 42nd minute, when Llamas struck a powerful effort from the right side of the box. Mumbai goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa was forced into action, producing a crucial save to keep the score level. Just when it appeared the teams would go into the break without a goal, Mumbai found the breakthrough deep into first-half stoppage time.
From a corner delivered by Chhangte, midfielder Noufal PN reacted quickest inside the box and slotted the ball into the net in the 45+6th minute, giving the Islanders a 1–0 lead heading into halftime.
Inter Kashi emerged for the second half with renewed determination and quickly found a way back into the match. In the 51st minute, defender Sandip Mandi delivered an excellent cross from the left flank. Forward Rohit Danu rose above the defence and guided a close-range header into the net, bringing the hosts level at 1–1.
The equaliser sparked excitement among the home supporters and briefly shifted the momentum in Inter Kashi’s favour.
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However, Mumbai City responded immediately and regained the advantage just one minute later.
Ortíz played a well-weighted through ball into the penalty area, splitting the defence and finding Lallianzuala Chhangte in space. The Mumbai captain kept his composure and calmly finished with his left foot in the 52nd minute, restoring the Islanders’ lead at 2–1.
The quick response proved crucial in halting Inter Kashi’s momentum and re-establishing control for the visitors. The match opened up significantly after the second goal as both teams pushed forward in search of further scoring opportunities.
Inter Kashi continued to press for another equaliser. Petkevičius tested Lachenpa with a close-range attempt, while Danu tried his luck from distance with a powerful strike that forced another save from the Mumbai goalkeeper. At the other end, Noufal nearly added his second of the match, but Tarrés produced a strong save to deny the midfielder.
Inter Kashi remained determined in attack. Petkevičius fired wide from distance in the 58th minute, while Llamas narrowly missed the target with a header from a Danu cross in the 67th minute. The closing stages of the match were filled with drama as Inter Kashi increased the pressure in search of a late equaliser.
Mumbai’s task became more difficult when Hmingthanmawia Ralte received a red card in stoppage time, reducing the visitors to ten men. Inter Kashi seized the opportunity and pushed forward aggressively in the final minutes. Midfielder Wayne Vaz forced a crucial save from Lachenpa, while the hosts also struck the crossbar twice in the dying moments of the game.
Despite the late surge, Inter Kashi were unable to find the equaliser. When the final whistle blew, Mumbai City FC held on for a 2–1 victory, securing a valuable three points that strengthened their position near the top of the league table.
For the Islanders, the result highlighted their attacking quality and resilience under pressure. Meanwhile, Inter Kashi will take encouragement from their spirited second-half performance despite ultimately falling short of salvaging a point.
