Kevin Galvin (@kjgalvin93)

After Thursday’s bonkers seven-goal thriller between NorthEast United and Chennaiyin, a 2-0 scoreline slightly cheats what was a very entertaining contest at the Mumbai Football Arena last night, making it an even bigger pity that just over 4,000 people were on hand to see it in the flesh.

So too the stats, which suggest that FC Pune City were the better team on the night, and while they did have their chances – particularly with the game still scoreless – it was a matter of how many and not if for Jorge Costa’s side.

The Portuguese manager’s side got their first point of the season before the break against the Kerala Blasters, having lost their opening game to Jamshedpur, but tonight’s performance showed that the Islanders can harbor aspirations of a playoff spot, having been seven points outside the shakeup last season.

And it could have all been so different had Emiliano Alfaro been able to convert Ashique Kuruniyan’s delightful inviting cross a mere 20 seconds into the contest.

City’s opener was undoubtedly fortunate, but Miguel Portugal will have had words with his defence at half-time about their leaden-footed response to Paulo Machado’s cross which came back off the upright, with Modou Sougou beating two Stallion defenders to the rebound to tuck home his first ever goal for Mumbai City.

It was most certainly against the run of play, and a real blow to a Pune City, who couldn’t channel the same spirit of NorthEast United the night before, and were fortunate themselves to see Arnold Issoko so badly fluff his lines – on an admittedly underwatered pitch in the Maharashtran capital – having been played five yards in behind a high-pressing visiting back four.

Nikhil Poojari forced Amrinder Singh into a smart stop following more excellent work by Kuruniyan, but Pune were again caught out minutes later, and there was no coming back from Lalchhuanmawia Fanai’s ludicrous lunge on Sougou, allowing Rafael Bastos to convert the first penalty of this fledgling Indian Super League season.

A bright Paulo Machado could have extended the lead further beyond the interval with a driving run that ended in a right-footed effort that curled just beyond a relieved Vishal Kaith’s left-hand upright, as the hosts tried to seal the deal.

Pune’s best chance of getting back into proceedings came beyond the hour mark, when Alvaro’s shot from a tight angle pinged off the crossbar on its way over, before the Spanish striker forced a header over from Diego Carlos’ slightly undercooked lob.

Kaith’s good save to deny Lucian Goian’s mediocre spot kick was justice, following Issoko’s blatant dive which fooled referee Santosh Kumar, but not the watching Indian audience that the ISL is so desperately trying to win over to this flourishing competition.

How they decide to deal with it will set not only an example to the players, but so too the paying audience, whose primary sport prides itself on a foundation of good sportsmanship (on the cricket pitch at least).

Getting out of high-flying Goa with a point would be seen as an excellent start for Mumbai, and a good indication of their realistic playoff ambitions.

Pune meanwhile have an insane two days to turn around before hosting a Bengaluru side still smarting from their late concession against Jamshedpur in this nonsensical hot-and-cold ISL scheduling.

Whether they can do that or not isn’t a true reflection on Miguel Portugal’s side’s ability, but it could see them marooned at the bottom of the table.

Mumbai City FC: A Singh; S Chakraborty, L Goian, S Bose, S Ghosh; A Issoko, S Singh, Paulo Machado; R Fernandes (M Singh 83), P Sougou (M Rafique 66), R Bastos (P Bhumij 77).

FC Pune City: V Kaith; S Golui, M Mills, M Díaz (Marcelinho 59), L Fanai; A Khan, J Vila; N Poojari (G Singh 59), Diego, A Kuruniyan (R Singh 41); E Alfaro.

Referee: S Kumar.