Mumbai seal draw after late goal from Costa

Shaun Roy / ISL / SPORTZPICS

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Leo Costa's stunning goal late in the game gave Mumbai City FC a point after trailing for most of the second half to Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Chennai. Jeje Lalpehula gave Chennaiyin the lead early in the second half with his first headed goal in the ISL.

Costa, who came on as a substitute, produced a moment of magic in the 88th minute to take Mumbai level on points with Atletico de Kolkata at the top of the points table. This was the first point won by Mumbai against Chennaiyin in ISL history.

Jeje's second goal of the season came in the 51st minute through a perfect header. Late into the match when Chennai almost looked like going home with the victory, Leo Costa struck a 35 yard left-footed strike that had curl and power which Duwayne Kerr had no chance of saving.

Earlier, Chennai missed the presence of its head coach at the touchline as Marco Materazzi had to watch the game from the stands as he was suspended for this game after being found guilty of 'misconduct' in the previous match against Kerala Blasters. 

Chennai dominated the first half but the game didn't come alive in the opening 45 minutes. Maurizio Peluso, who was playing on the left wing for Chennaiyin, looked the liveliest of the players with a couple of dangerous shots on goal. Mumbai surprisingly played Sony Norde in the centre and Brito Alves on the wings with Diego Forlan playing just behind Norde.

Peluso had the best chance of the first half in the 21st minute when his free-kick was tipped over by Mumbai keeper Albino Gomes. Lucian Goian was excellent in the heart of Mumbai's defence as Chennai's forays into Mumbai's attacking third were denied by the towering center back. 

10 minutes before the end of the first half, Forlan gave the home team a scare when his swerving free-kick almost met the top of the net. Instead, it went over the goal and with that chance the first half ended goalless.

Chennaiyin replaced Thoi Singh with Dudu Omagbemi in the second half and it wasn't  long before they took the lead. Six minutes into the second half, Raphael Augusto hit an ambitious 30 yard shot that deflected off Krisztián Vadócz for a Chennaiyin corner. Peluso's corner curled in and Jeje's jump was perfect as he headed the ball in to give the home team the lead.

Five minutes later, Jeje could have doubled the lead but his finishing ability eluded him this time. Left-back Jerry Lalrinzuala burst through to put in a low cross that Jeje toe poked just over the bar.

Mumbai brought on Jackichand Singh and Thiago Dos Santos Cunha in the second half in search of the elusive goal. Forlan troubled the Chennai defence with a couple of dangerous free-kicks but the fate of the match was decided by substitute Leo Costa who replaced Gerson in the 61st minute.