Iain Hume’s brace helped Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) prevail over visitor Mumbai City FC 3-2 in the first leg of the ISL semifinal, which was played here at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium on Saturday.
The first half saw an amazing five goals starting from the third minute and ending with the third minute of added time.
Larindika Ralte opened the account for the host early before the visitor scored twice in quick succession through Leo Costa and Gerson Viera to move ahead.
Hume swung into action, scoring the equaliser before fetching the winner off a penalty in the added-on time of the opening session.
Mumbai City FC suffered a setback as its talismanic forward, Diego Forlan, was given marching orders late in the second half.
Sameehg Doutie’s return to the starting line-up did the trick for ATK. Relying on the speed and guile of the South African, ATK found the corridor as early as the second minute.
The Mumbai defence managed to ward off the threat but the resultant corner brought the break the host was looking for.
The corner was cleared by the Mumbai defence but the ball hovered around its box before reaching Borja Fernandes.
The Spanish playmaker sent a cross into the box which was headed into the net by Ralte.
Mumbai regrouped quickly and found the leveller in the 10th minute. A free-kick from Forlan saw Sunil Chhetri head the ball towards Leo Costa and the Brazilian did the rest with an angular shot that beat the rival goalkeeper.
The Uruguayan World Cupper did the trick once again when his second free-kick was nodded home by Gerson Viera, in the 19th minute.
The host pressed hard for the equaliser and rightly got it when Hume finished with a booming right-footer after Doutie set him up in the 39th minute.
The host got the much-needed confidence and continued to attack with Doutie doing all the good work.
The Mumbai City left-back Lalhmangaihsanga committed the cardinal error of blocking the ATK striker Helder Postiga inside his own box. Referee Dilan Pereira pointed to the spot. Hume made no mistake.
