NorthEast United have moved to second on the Indian Super League table courtesy of a 2-0 win over Mumbai City FC on Friday.
Ricki Herbert's Highlanders were too good for Peter Reid's Mumbai at the DY Patil Stadium with Kondwani Mtonga and Guilherme Felipe de Castro the goalscorers for the victors.
Zambian midfielder Mtonga opened the scoring in the 57th minute when he got on the end of a dinked ball from Koke before putting over advancing Mumbai keeper Subrata Paul.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, Mumbai's marquee man Freddie Ljungberg went down with a thigh injury which reduced them to ten men after Reid had made his three substitutions.
And it only became more of a task for the home team when Czech defender Pavel Cmovs was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 75th minute to reduce them further to nine players.
NorthEast made use of the personnel advantage in injury-time when Brazilian midfielder Felipe de Castro received a neat pass from James Keene before firing beyond Paul.
The second-placed Highlanders will now prepare for their October 29 trip to India's capital to take on the Delhi Dynamos, who are sitting fifth, while fourth-placed Mumbai City will meet third-placed Chennaiyin FC the day before.
2014 Hero Indian Super League
Mumbai City FC: 0 (red card: Pavel Cmovs 75') Northeast United: 2 (Kondwani Mtonga 57', Guilherme Felipe de Castro 90+2') D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
