Mumbai City suffers crushing defeat at the hands of Al Hilal

Mumbai City FC endured a challenging night as they fell to a crushing 6-0 defeat against Al Hilal SFC in the AFC Champions League on Monday. This loss marked their third consecutive setback in the campaign, leaving the Indian outfit with plenty of work to do to secure their progression. The match unfolded at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, where Al Hilal showcased their prowess as tournament favorites.

Coach Des Buckingham made several tactical adjustments to the starting lineup in an attempt to match Al Hilal's strength. The defensive reshuffle saw Tiri joining Rostyn Griffiths at the heart of the defense, while Akash Mishra and Mehtab Singh took their respective positions as full-backs. In the midfield, the trio of Apuia, Yoëll van Nieff, and Greg Stewart aimed to orchestrate the team's movements, with Jorge Pereyra Díaz leading the attacking charge.

Al Hilal didn't disappoint as they stormed out of the gate with a relentless offensive display. They found the early breakthrough in the 5th minute when Aleksandar Mitrovic capitalized on a low cross from Al-Burayk, beating the offside trap and calmly slotting the ball into the net.

Mumbai City FC had their moments, with Apuia coming close to equalizing with a spectacular free-kick, only to be denied by Al Hilal's vigilant goalkeeper. However, Al Hilal's dominance in the second half, featuring Mitrovic's impressive hat-trick and a flurry of goals, ultimately proved insurmountable.

In the 66th minute, Mitrovic extended Al Hilal's lead with a powerful header, making it 2-0. Mumbai tried to respond, but the keeper denied Chhangte's attempt at goal.

Al Hilal continued to dominate the second half, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic heading home the third goal in the 75th minute. Mitrovic completed his hat-trick with a brilliant overhead kick in the 79th minute, following a looping cross from Saud.

The flood of goals continued, with Al Burayk scoring in the 82nd minute and Al Malki adding a sixth goal in the dying moments from 30 yards out.

The final scoreline of 6-0 was a harsh reality for Mumbai City FC, who now need to regroup and refocus for their upcoming clash with Hyderabad FC on October 28th at the Mumbai Football Arena.