Subrata Paul helps Mumbai escape with a draw

SPIDEY REFLEXES: Mumbai City goalkeeper Subrata Paul lived up to his nickname, coming up with somereflex second-half saves to keep the FC Goa strikers at bay. — PHOTO: SPORTZPICS

Mumbai City FC goalkeeper Subrata Paul lived up to his nickname of ‘Spiderman’, coming up with some reflex saves in the second half to deny FC Goa strikers and help his team escape with a goalless draw, and one point, in a Hero Indian Super League eighth-round tie at the D.Y. Patil stadium on Monday.

Sedate first half

After a sedate first half, Goa stepped it up, approaching from different angles, only to be foiled by the in-form India goalkeeper.

The one time he was beaten — by Australian Tolgay Ozbey — the ball caught the left post.

FC Goa benefitted from that kind of luck too; Andre Moritz beat goalkeeper Jan Seda with a snap attempt but the ball crashed into the post and bounced back into play.

That was the closest Mumbai got to scoring.

The home team impressed in the first half, linking up smoothly when in possession and looking confident on the ball in the rival half. Subash got a few opportunities, but Seda was solid under the bar.

Paul was tested once by Gabriel Fernandes on the counter, but that effort came to naught.

FC Goa slogged hard to regain the initiative on resumption, and the game opened up.

A hard tackle by Pavel Cmovs on the edge of the box resulted in a direct free-kick. Andre Santos kicked the ball into the defensive wall, and the ball lobbed goal-wards where Subrata, for once, fumbled. Again, no damage was done.

Both sides got cracking right from the kickoff, and the play was pulsating.

The visitors broke through from the left. Mandar Desai weaved his way past a defender, released the ball towards Santos and ran a volley on the bounce, but the ball swerved over the bar.

Meanwhile, Subhash Singh gained space at the other end on the right, and Nicolas Anelka ran wide to carry his marker. The former darted in, passed to Jan Stohanzl and ran ahead for the return pass, but could not get to the ball in time.

Fernandes caught the Mumbai defence by surprise by sneaking ahead to steal the ball from a defender, feinted his way into the box and made space for a right-footed attempt. But Subrata, diving to his right at full stretch, got his fingertips to the ball and saw it roll away from danger.

Mumbai City has 12 points after nine matches and FC Goa adds one point to its tally which now reads nine from nine games.