FC Goa’s win was in vein as Chennaiyin’s away goals made the difference…
Chennaiyin entered the final of the 2019-20 Indian Super League (ISL) with a 6-5 aggregate win against FC Goa in the two-legged semi-final tie. FC Goa registered a 4-2 win in the second leg at the Fatorda Stadium on Saturday but Chennaiyin stood firm to secure their place in the final.
A Lucian Goain own goal in the 10th minute and Mourtada Fall making it 2-0 in the 28th minute kept Goa’s hopes alive for a come-back from the 4-1 first-leg defeat but of which were dainted by Lallianzuala Chhangte (52′) and Nerijus Valskis (59′) in the second half. The tie was kept interesting with Edu Bedia (81′) and Fall (83′) finding the target, though of which was not going to be enough to see the Goans through to the final.
The Goans finished the match short of two goals and a man in Saviour Gama (90+1′) who got his marching orders.
Hugo Boumous and Brandon Fernandes were back in the Goa lineup in place of Manvir Singh and Seminlen Doungel. Owen Coyle named an unchanged Chennaiyin XI.
The hosts, needing a big win, were offensive in their approach from the word go and the surge bore fruits soon.
Goain, who scored the opener in Chennai, was the first to score in Goa too. However, the Chennaiyin defender headed the ball into his own net off a dangerous cross from the right by Jackichand in the 10th minute.
Anirudh Thapa’s foul on Lenny Rodrigues was all that Goa wanted to put the second one in. Brandon’s free-kick into the box was nodded in by Fall before the half-hour mark.
What immediately followed was a forced change as Bedia made his way in after Boumous had to be stretchered off. The first-half, in which the hosts were dominant, ended without further goals.
The task was once again made a gruesome for the home side after Chhangte got at the end of Mohammed Nawaz’s save off Crivellaro’s shot from the left to place the ball in an empty net in the 52nd minute. The stands were then silenced when Valskis was allowed a free header from a Crivellaro corner to make it 2-2 on the evening.
In an attempt to bag their third away goal, Thapa’s rasping left-footed volley was thwarted by Nawaz who was alert to palm out second half substitute Germanpreet Singh’s attempt at goal a bit later.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of Manvir Singh in place of Rodrigues could have paid off if not for a goalline save by Jerry Lalrinzuala after Vishal Kaith had kept out Ferran Corominas’ shot from Brandon’s corner in the 67th minute while the substitute’s header from another Brandon delivery came off the upright.
Coyle thought it was time to shut shop by replacing Crivellaro with Masih Saighani in the 81st minute but it was not going to be over yet. Fall chased a loose ball off Germanpreet to set up Bedia who chipped the ball past Kaith ine 81st minute before Fall himself nodded in Goa’s fourth of the evening after Saighani failed to clear Brandon’s lob in the box.
Goa needed two more goals but then Saviour Gama, who had come off the bench, picked his second yellow card in a span of three minutes.
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