Canadian striker Ian Hume made light of a bandaged head to score a fine hat-trick and help defending champions Atletico de Kolkata drub Mumbai City FC 4-1 in a fast-paced Indian Super League football match at the D Y Patil Stadium, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Hume, who was injured in the previous game against Delhi Dynamos at home, exhibited superb anticipation and opportunism to apply finishing touches to the passes that came his way in the 34th and 81st minutes and in between also slotted in a penalty kick just before half time to star in the match and help Atletico return to winning ways after three consecutive defeats.
The other goal for Kolkata, who took a 2-0 lead at half time, was scored by defender Augustine Fernandes in the 76th minute.
Mumbai, on a high going into the game after three successive wins at home, got their only goal of the match in the 71st minute through second half substitute Selim Benachour who has returned to play after having gone back to France to attend his father's funeral rites.
The victory, Atletico's first after three straight losses, boosted their points tally to 10 but they remained in sixth spot tied on points with fourth-placed Mumbai and fifth-placed Chennayin FC, due to an inferior goal difference.
Mumbai's marquee player-cum-coach Nicolas Anelka decided to have his first start since the tournament's commencement and his very presence up front galvanized his team, at least initially.
But the superb combination up front that was exhibited in their last three games was also missing a bit due to this change.
The hosts, bidding for their fourth straight win and a place at the top of the league table, almost scored in the fourth minute when Sony Norde curled a corner kick towards the goal that was kept away by Kolkata goalkeeper Amrinder Singh.
Four minutes later a brilliant move orchestrated by Sunil Chhetri and Anelka saw Mumbai medio Juan Aguilera in possession of the ball. The Spaniard chipped the ball above a host of defenders into the six yard box with Anelka darting forward, but an agile Amrinder staved off danger for Kolkata with a timely rush to block the former France international.
Atletico slowly found their feet with captain and midfielder Borja Fernandes orchestrating the moves.
In the process, Hume also registered the second hat-trick at this venue in as many games. Chhetri had done it during the 5-1 rout of North East United on October 28.
