Ishan Pandita
scored an injury time equaliser for FC Goa as they held table-toppers
Mumbai City FC to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Goa’s GMC Bambolin Stadium on Monday.

Goa dominated
possession of the ball and were slicker than their opponents with their passing
but the Mumbai defence held them off, with their forwards using the counter
attacks effectively to establish a two-goal cushion midway through the first
half.

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Former Goa
playmaker Hugo Boumous was at his brilliant best and called goalkeeper Dheeraj
Singh into action early in the first half as he attempted a cutback into the
box after racing past Adil Khan on the right.

The
Frenchman then broke the deadlock at the 20th minute-mark,
converting from a quick counter attack after midfielder Raynier Fernandes won
the ball from Edu Bedia.

Boumous, who was found in acres of space by striker
Adam Le Fondre, then rounded the goalkeeper with ease to score into an empty
net.  

Le Fondre capitalised
on some poor defending from Goa from a corner to double Mumbai’s advantage six
minutes later. Hernan Santana headed an out-swinging delivery from Bipin Singh towards goal, which was parried by the keeper only for for the Englishman to nod in his ninth goal of the season. 

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The Gaurs pulled one back with a long-range stunner from Glan Martins right at the stroke of half-time with Igor Angulo scoring his 10th goal of the season to level the score six minutes after the restart as Goa dominated the second half. 

The game seemed to peter out for a draw but suddenly exploded into life in stoppage time as Rowlin Borges put Mumbai ahead with a goal at the 90th minute-mark. After missing a couple of sitters, Borges headed in from an Ahmed Jahouh freekick.

But an equaliser came deep into stoppage time when Pandita scored from a teasing Bedia delivery to seal a dramatic stalemate. 

With the draw, Mumbai – top of the table with 34 points from 16 games – became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.