Mumbai, India – Decked in shades of blue with fan jerseys, hoardings and banners, the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai hosted the most important soccer match on Indian soil as Mumbai Metropolis welcomed Asia’s most profitable membership Al Hilal within the AFC Champions League.
In entrance of a loud viewers of about 30,000 on Monday, Mumbai Metropolis placed on a strong defensive efficiency within the first half however second-half targets by Al Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic and Michael meant the Indian Tremendous League (ISL) workforce needed to finish their evening on a shedding notice.
The turnout for the sport was spectacular however not shocking as there had been a buzz round it for greater than a month after Mumbai Metropolis have been drawn in Group D with Al Hilal, who’ve gained the AFC Champions League a document 4 instances.
The prospect of watching high-profile gamers reminiscent of Neymar, Mitrovic, Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly on residence soil excited followers in India with 1000’s signing as much as purchase tickets for the match.
Mumbai Metropolis initially deliberate to host the match on the Balewadi Stadium in Pune however owing to the large fan curiosity and safety causes, they moved it to the DY Patil Stadium, which has a capability of about 42,000.
“For me, it has at all times been a dream to look at a workforce from Mumbai play within the AFC Champions League. Now I obtained to see it in Mumbai itself, which made it much more particular,” Mumbai Metropolis fan Tushar Sinha informed Al Jazeera.
“Al Hilal are the most important membership in Asia proper now, so to play towards them, is among the largest video games Mumbai Metropolis have had. To see my membership play at residence in entrance of so many individuals was nothing wanting insanity.”
Whereas followers in Navi Mumbai watched and cheered for Mitrovic, Neves and Koulibaly, they might not get a glimpse of Neymar after the Brazilian didn’t journey to India, having undergone ACL and meniscus surgical procedure final week.
The information of Neymar’s harm, which emerged in mid-October, disheartened a number of impartial followers as lots of them tried re-selling their match tickets, some even at a reduced fee.
Mumbai Metropolis’s gamers, too, have been upset over lacking the possibility to play towards Neymar, who gained the UEFA Champions League with La Liga membership Barcelona in 2014-2015.
“All of us have been upset as a result of everybody desires to play towards the very best participant on the earth and Neymar is certainly one of them,” Mumbai Metropolis midfielder Lalengmawia Ralte informed reporters within the pre-match press convention.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if he scored 4 or 5 targets towards us, at the very least we’d been pleased to have the possibility to share the pitch with him,” the teenager stated with a smile.
Despite the fact that Neymar didn’t play within the match, that didn’t cease Indian followers from exhibiting their assist for him as tons of wore the Al Hilal jersey together with his identify on the again.
No Neymar, no downside for Al Hilal
Even with out the talismanic Neymar, Al Hilal regarded harmful going ahead, due to the attacking prowess of midfielder Neves and striker Mitrovic.
The Riyadh-based workforce got here shut on a couple of events within the first half earlier than they lastly broke the impasse within the 62nd minute as midfielder Michael scored a header following an help from Mohammed Alburayk.
Michael obtained the higher of Mumbai Metropolis defender Akash Mishra on the far put up and comfortably headed the ball into the web earlier than pulling off Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademark “Siu” celebration, which the gang joined in on.
Mitrovic, who scored a hat-trick in Al Hilal’s first leg 6-0 win, added the second purpose within the eighty fifth minute because the ex-Fulham striker rose highest to attain a header on the far put up following a dink from Malcom.
The purpose got here as a reduction for the Serbian worldwide, who missed a number of probabilities earlier than discovering the web and the gang additionally loved the purpose as they burst right into a frenzy throughout his celebration.
Mumbai Metropolis’s efficiency within the first half was commendable however the workforce crumbled underneath stress as soon as they have been decreased to 10 gamers early within the second half, when Mehtab Singh was proven a second yellow card for a deal with on Neves.
“We did a fantastic job to regulate the sport within the first half after which Mumbai obtained drained. Within the second half, we have been in a position to obtain our targets,” Al Hilal’s Neves stated in a post-match interview.
“We knew the sport was going to be totally different than it was in Saudi Arabia. They’re a really organised workforce and it’s by no means straightforward to play towards groups which can be compact. In the present day, we performed towards a workforce that defended very properly however we have been affected person and did a extremely good job.”
With the victory, Al Hilal retained the highest spot within the group with 9 factors from 4 video games and continued their unbeaten document this season. They’re on the verge of qualifying for the knockout spherical.
Mumbai Metropolis, then again, look set to be eradicated within the group stage for the second straight season as they’ve but to take a degree from 4 matches.
Regardless of the defeat, Mumbai Metropolis coach Des Buckingham was in excessive spirits after the sport.
“I’m extraordinarily proud of what I noticed,” Buckingham stated within the post-match press convention. “Earlier than the sending-off, I believed we placed on an excellent present of what Indian soccer can do on this stage towards the very best workforce on this competitors.”

‘Asia’s premier competitors’
The sight of tons of of Al Hilal jerseys among the many followers was an indication of how widespread the Saudi Professional League has change into, even within the cricket-mad nation of India.
After spending almost half a billion {dollars} luring high gamers and coaches from conventional European powerhouses, the Saudi Professional League has grabbed the eye of world soccer like by no means earlier than.
It began when Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or award winner, joined Riyadh-based Al Nassr in January after leaving Manchester United.
The Portuguese famous person’s switch, reportedly price greater than $200m a 12 months, set off a pattern as many embellished gamers reminiscent of Neymar, Neves, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Sadio Mane ditched high European leagues for the profitable Saudi Professional League.
Whereas the Saudi Professional League’s lavish spending has modified the character of the switch market, it has additionally attracted criticism, with critics labelling it as Saudi Arabia’s try to shift the main focus from criticism of its human rights document, a cost Saudi soccer has denied.
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund – Public Funding Fund (PIF) – owns 75 % of Saudi Skilled League golf equipment Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli.

Mumbai Metropolis fan Sinha stated the Saudi Professional League, which has 18 groups, has excelled in spreading its reputation worldwide.
“Saudi Professional League has at all times been a league with heavy funding however after Ronaldo joined folks know a lot about it,” Sinha stated. “I see youngsters in India sporting Al Nassr jerseys with Ronaldo’s identify on the again… it’s loopy!”
One other Mumbai Metropolis fan, Samar Pathania, stated the competitiveness of the Saudi Professional League has “skyrocketed” following the inflow of high-profile gamers and the league is striving to be the very best in Asia.
“During the last two years, there was an enormous shift in the direction of altering the league from simply being the Saudi league to the premier competitors in Asia,” Pathania stated. “It’s not only a star-studded league, it’s a star-studded league with nice recruitment.
“One of the best factor in regards to the Saudi Professional League is that they at all times had the funding. What they did proper was they developed their home gamers to a sure minimal stage of high quality after years and years of coaching earlier than spending the money on overseas gamers. That’s the alternative of what the Indian Tremendous League did.”
A number of seasons in the past, widespread overseas gamers reminiscent of ex-Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov, former Uruguay striker Diego Forlan, ex-Eire captain Robbie Keane and others joined the ISL as marquee signings because the league tried to spice up its reputation in India.
However these star gamers joined the Indian league when India’s home gamers have been nonetheless growing and thus couldn’t sustain with them.
“The ISL obtained the massive overseas gamers first when Indian gamers weren’t up to speed… it’s OK to make use of huge names to spice up your reputation however it’s essential to develop your individual gamers to a sure stage earlier than you signal star foreigners,” Pathania defined.