ISL: Mumbai keep playoffs hopes alive with 3-2 win over NorthEast

Representational pictureMumbai FC kept their slim chances of making the playoffs alive with a lastgasp 32 victory over bottomplaced NorthEast United FC in a thrilling Indian Super League ISL encounter here at the Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday Cameroonian attacking midfielder Achille Emana 15th minute opened the scoring for the hosts in what was a mustwin game for them but Lucian Goian 24th minute put ball into his own net to level proceedingsGuineaBissauan centre back Sambinha 43rd minute then helped the visitors nod ahead and take a 21 lead into the halftime break Brazilian forward Everton Santos 54th made it 22 early on in the second period before Goian 90th minute dramatically atoned for his firsthalf error by netting the winner in stoppage timeThe result saw Mumbai pip FC Goa to sixth place in the points table The Ranbir Kapoorco owned franchise now have 23 points from 16 matches four off fourthplaced Jamshedpur FC 26 points with two games in hand There was no end to NorthEasts misery as they succumbed to their fifth defeat on the trotFor large spells it looked like NorthEast would get at least a point from this game They were down by an early goal from Emana but Goians own goal brought them back Sambinha then gave NorthEast the lead in the 43rd minute only for Santos to draw level for Mumbai and Goian to strike at the very end in this dramatic tie Needing a win to get their campaign back on track Mumbai City started strongly and deservedly took the lead inside the first 15 minutes which they thoroughly dominatedThey took the lead through midfielder Emana who carved out a goal from nothing It was Santos who had picked out his teammate on the top of the box and the burly Cameroonian took a swift turn and then picked out the bottom right corner before a diving TP Rehenesh could get there Goalkeeper Rehenesh was otherwise alert for NorthEast United FC keeping away a blazing shot from Santos early in the game and then tipping over a freekick from Marcio RozarioNorthEast got the equaliser in the 24th minute Maic Sema crossed the ball from the left for Gursimrat Singh whose shot was travelling towards goal and Mumbai defender Goian in an attempt to clear steered it inside his own goalThe visitors should have been ahead in the 41st minute but John Mosquera missed a sitter from a swift counterattack NorthEast however were not to be denied the lead two minutes later as an unmarked Sambinha came up with a low header from Lalrindika Raltes corner kick In the second session Mumbai didnt have to wait too long for the equaliserSantos got the equaliser when he bundled home past two defenders from inside the box after it was headed into his path by Rafa Jorda Mumbai then kept bombarding the goal in search of a precious winner which was eventually secured through an unlikely sourceIt was the captain who redeemed himself for his earlier lapse that gave NorthEast the equaliser Goian made a superb run to meet Raju Gaikwads cross and finished it with some class in the first minute of stoppage timeCatch up on all the latest sports news and updates here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever