Mumbai City FC vs Nassaji Mazandaran: In their AFC Champions League 2023-24 opener, Mumbai City FC suffered a 0-2 defeat against Nassaji Mazandaran. Ehsan Hosseini and Mohammed Reza Azadi scored the decisive goals, securing the win for the Iranian club. The islanders missed multiple opportunities and can only fault themselves for the loss. Despite their initial strong attacking efforts and numerous shots, Des Buckingham’s side failed to find the net, concluding the match without scoring.
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Mumbai City FC vs Nassaji Mazandaran Match Report
AFC Champions League newcomers, Nassaji Mazandaran, made an impressive start to their Group D campaign on September 18, 2023, securing a 2-0 victory against Mumbai City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune.
Ehsan Hosseini opened the scoring for the Iranian side with a composed close-range finish in the 34th minute, setting the tone for their successful debut in the competition. Mohammadreza Azadi sealed the win with a goal from inside the six-yard box in the 62nd minute.
The hosts, Mumbai City, showed early promise and came close to breaking the deadlock in the ninth minute when Jorge Pereyra Diaz’s pass found Lallianzuala Chhangte, whose effort from a tight angle narrowly missed the target.
Chhangte continued to pose a threat down the right flank, while Bipin Singh Thounaojam caused concerns for the Iranians on the opposite side. Rashid Mazaheri, Nassaji’s goalkeeper, had to be alert to deny Bipin’s goal-bound effort in the 26th minute.
However, Mumbai’s control of the game slipped away in the 34th minute when Nassaji took the lead. Hossein Zamehran orchestrated the move, delivering a precise defense-splitting pass to Ehsan Hosseini, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Mumbai had a chance to level the score just before half-time when Bipin found himself in space, but he couldn’t keep his shot on target as Chhangte played the ball across the face of the goal.
In the second half, Nassaji increased their tempo and eventually extended their lead. Vahid Mohammadzadeh rattled the crossbar with a cleverly flicked header in the 56th minute, sending a scare through Mumbai’s defense. Seven minutes later, Nassaji doubled their advantage.
Substitute Farshid Esmaeili dispossessed Akash Mishra deep inside the penalty area and unselfishly rolled the ball into the six-yard box, where Azadi had an easy finish to make it 2-0.
Mumbai continued to press for a late lifeline, with Vikram Partap forcing a save and Chhangte glancing a header wide. However, Nassaji held firm during nine minutes of additional time to secure victory in their maiden AFC Champions League appearance.
Nassaji Mazandaran’s strong start in the tournament marked a memorable debut for the Iranian side as they aim to make their mark on the AFC Champions League.
Mumbai City FC vs Nassaji Mazandaran XI:
Mumbai City FC XI: Phurba Lachenpa, Rahul Bheke (C), Rostyn Griffiths, Tiri, Akash Mishra, Yoëll Van Nieff, Apuia Ralte, Greg Stewart, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Jorge Pereyra Díaz
Nassaji Mazandaran XI: Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri, Amir Mehdi Janmaleki, Amir Mohammad Houshmand, Vahid Mohammadzadeh, Ehsan Hosseini, Esmaeil Babaei, Mahmoud Ghaed Rahmati, (c) Hossein Zamehran, Mohammadreza Abbasi, Saber Hardani, Mohammad Reza Azadi
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