Indian Super League playoffs kick off with Goa, Mumbai playing 2-2 draw
New Delhi, Mar 5 (efe-epa).- Goa FC and Mumbai City FC, top Indian clubs coached by Spanish managers Juan Ferrando Fenoll and Sergio Lobera respectively, on Friday played a 2-2 draw in the first match of the playoff stage of the Indian Super League.
The two sides will meet again in their second semifinal leg on Monday to decide the first finalist of this year’s ISL.
Goa FC, which finished fourth in the table after the league stage, began strongly and took the lead when Spanish forward Igor Angulo scored from the penalty spot in the 20th minute.
This was the 14th goal of the season for the Spaniard, which made him the joint top scorer in the tournament along with Fijian Roy Krishna, who plays for ATK Mohun Bagan.
However, French midfielder Hugo Boumous, who had played for Goa last season, equalized in the 38th minute and reenergized Mumbai, slight favorites ahead of the match because of topping the standings during the league phase.
Goa took the lead again in the 59th minute thanks to a goal by the young local Saviour Gama.
But only two minutes later, Senegalese Mourtada Fall helped Mumbai draw level again.
The second semifinal leg would be played at the same venue, the Fatorda stadium in the coastal state of Goa, which is hosting all the matches as part of efforts to minimize Covid-19 risks.
Mumbai has already qualified for the group phase of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League, irrespective of the result of its next match.
The other two semifinalists, ATK Mohun Bagan and NorthEast United FC, are set to play their first semifinal leg on Saturday and the second on Tuesday.
