Javi Hernandez scored in the 44th and 50th minutes.© X (Twitter)
Spaniard Javi Hernandez struck a brace as Jamshedpur FC eked out a hard-fought 3-2 win over Mumbai City FC after falling a goal behind to secure their first home victory of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Saturday. Hernandez scored in the 44th and 50th minutes while Jordan Murray (36th minute) got the other goal for the home side at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. In the process, Hernandez became the third player in the ISL to score for five different clubs.
Nikolaos Karelis (18th) and Yoell van Nieff (77th) found the target for Mumbai City Mumbai City FC started the game on a dominating note. In the fifth minute, they got their first opportunity when Yoell van Nieff snatched the ball from Javi Hernandez and glanced an attempt from distance. His shot took a curl but went inches wide.
Three minutes later, Jamshedpur FC earned their first chance after a corner was headed down by Pratik Chaudhari onto the path of Javier Siverio who laid it down for Jordan Murray. The latter's shot, however, was deflected out for a corner.
The corner by Imran Khan was met by Tiri, whose clearance almost cost Mumbai City FC a goal as the ball deflected off the crossbar.
The action intensified in the eighth minute when Thaer Krouma won a header against Stephen Eze. The ball was collected by Nikolaos Karelis, whose shot disrupted the calmness of the net, going past goalkeeper Albino Gomes.
A minute later, Karelis once again got a chance to score. He collected a cross inside the Jamshedpur FC penalty box and tried to go past Gomes, but the keeper succeeded in clearing it, only to see the ball fall on Lallianzuala Chhangte's feet.
However, the winger's feeble attempt was once again saved by Gomes and then cleared off by Eze.
In the 44th minute, Jamshedpur FC earned the lead after Javi's free-kick caressed the back of the net. The set-piece which was taken by the midfielder from the right flank landed directly into the back of the net after some confusion and misjudgement from the Mumbai City FC defenders and Lachenpa.
Jamshedpur FC started the second half from where they left the first. They could have extended the lead in the 46th minute when Javi Hernandez chipped a ball onto Jordan Murray's path. Murray was free on goal and glanced straight but Valpuia's timely intervention averted the danger for the Islanders.
The very next minute, Stephen Eze could have scored his first goal of the season for the Men of Steel. Imran Khan confused and went past van Nieff to send in a delightful cross into the 18-yard-area. However, Eze's header from the same was flickered away by Lachenpa.
Three minutes later, Jamshedpur FC's efforts paid off as Seiminlen Doungel set it up for Javi for his second goal of the evening.
Doungel outwitted the Islanders' defence and went inside the penalty box to send in a pitch-perfect cross to Hernandez's feet. The Spaniard didn't shy away from trying his luck and saw the ball land inside the framework, leaving a fully stretched Lachenpa devastated on the ground.
Mumbai City FC slowly started clawing back into the game. And finally, in the 77th minute, they found an answer.
Yoell van Nieff tried some dribbling dynamics just outside the Jamshedpur penalty area and lodged a curling effort on goal, which ultimately went past Albino Gomes to reduce the lead.
In the next minutes, Petr Kratky's side kept on piling the pressure for an equaliser but Jamshedpur FC's disciplined backline seemed too tough to breach.