Ten-man Mumbai go top after draw against ATK

Mumbai City FC went to the top of the ISL table after holding on to a 1-1 draw against Atletico de Kolkata despite going down to 10 men in the 72nd minute at the Mumbai Football Arena on Tuesday.

Javi Lara equalized for ATK in the 82nd minute to rescue a point after Defederico's goal had put MCFC ahead in the 27th minute.

No team had previously won three matches in a row at the start of an ISL campaign, and the record stayed intact as Mumbai dropped their first points of the season.

MCFC coach Alexandre Guimaraes made two changes to the side that beat NEUFC last week. Marquee player Diego Forlan was replaced by Boithang Haokip, while Gerson replaced Anwar Ali in defence. ATK also made two changes - Juan Belencoso replaced the injured Helder Postiga and Bikramjit Singh came in for Jewel Raja.

Mumbai started the game brightly, Leo Costa getting the first shot away in the 2nd minute only to see it sail over. A minute later, Vadocz's powerful volley also went just over. The first effort on target came from the away side, with Sameehg Doutie getting his head to Hume's cross from the left.

Defederico slipped Boithang through with a lovely ball in the 9th minute, but ATK goalkeeper Debjit came off the line to put off the attacker and prevent an effort on goal.

In the 12th minute, Defederico once again played a sublime through ball and Boithang timed his run brilliantly to stay onside. Debjit got a hand on Boithang's shot, which hit the bar and Leo Costa's effort from the rebound went wide.

While Defederico was pulling the strings for MCFC, Javi Lara was lively for the away side, switching the play beautifully with his pin-point long balls. His set-piece from the left side of midfield was a straightforward catch for Roberto Tigrao, but made sure the goalkeeper stayed alert.

Defederico scored for the hosts in the 27th minute, brilliantly controlling a long ball from right back Khongjee before taking two defenders on and beating the keeper with a powerful low shot into the bottom right corner.

Belencoso's header from Lara's 41st minute free-kick was well wide as it remained 1-0 at half-time. ATK made a double change thereafter, with Abhinas Ruidas coming on for Bikramjit Singh and Iain Hume making way for former Kerala Blasters player Stephen Pearson.

ATK then came close to an equalizer in the 64th minute, but Sameehg Doutie failed to tap in a fabulous low cross from Borja in front of the Mumbai goal.

The game produced the first red card of the season in the 72nd minute, when Pronay Halder was sent off for a second yellow following a silly challenge on Borja.

The numerical advantage helped ATK press forward and they made the most of it in the 82nd minute when Javi Lara's long-range effort took a slight deflection to land into the top right corner.

The visitors came close to a second goal a minute later as Belencoso's header from Ruidas' cross flew just high.

ATK were relentless in the closing stages, forcing Roberto Tigrao to pull off a double save in the 87th minute following a corner. The keeper gloved away Tiri's initial header and recovered just in time save Pearson's effort from the rebound.

However, the hosts defended resiliently to rescue a point which helped them climb atop the table with seven points from three games. Kolkata are now third with five points from three games.