Mumbai City FC announced their Super Cup intentions with a commanding 4-1 victory over Sporting Club Delhi in the tournament opener at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium on Friday. The Islanders delivered a footballing masterclass that left their opponents chasing shadows for much of the match.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone
From the opening whistle, Mumbai City established their superiority, controlling possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities. Their persistence paid off in the 26th minute when Lallianzuala Chhangte broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, sending the Mumbai faithful into raptures.
Second Half Blitz Seals the Deal
The real fireworks came after halftime as Mumbai City turned on the style. Vikram Partap Singh doubled their advantage in the 54th minute with a well-taken goal, before Chhangte completed his brace just three minutes later, putting the game beyond Delhi's reach.
Late Consolation Can't Spoil Mumbai's Party
While Sporting Club Delhi managed to pull one back through Harsh Patre in the 79th minute, any hopes of a dramatic comeback were quickly extinguished. Ayush Chhikara restored Mumbai's three-goal cushion in the 86th minute, putting the final exclamation point on a thoroughly professional performance.
What This Means for Both Teams
The victory gives Mumbai City FC the perfect start to their Super Cup campaign, sending a strong message to other contenders. For Sporting Club Delhi, the heavy defeat exposes the gap between I-League and ISL standards, though they'll take valuable lessons from facing one of India's top clubs.
With this emphatic win, Mumbai City FC immediately establish themselves as serious title contenders, while Delhi face an uphill battle to keep their knockout stage hopes alive in the challenging Group A.
