ISL 2019-20 Play-offs: All action Chennaiyin take commanding first leg lead

ISL 2019-20 Play-offs: All action Chennaiyin take commanding first leg lead

A terrific performance from Chennaiyin FC saw them take a commanding 4-1 lead after the first leg of their Indian Super League (ISL) play-off clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Chennai on Sunday.

After a barren first half, Chennaiyin sparkled to life with goals from Lucian Goian (54′), Anirudh Thapa (61′), Eli Sabia (77′) and Lallianzuala Chhangte (79′) spurring them to a 4-0 lead before Saviour Gama (85′) pulled a goal back for the Gaurs.

Chennaiyin, who qualified for the play-offs after finishing fourth, are now in the driving seat in the tie while table-toppers Goa have it all to do now in the second leg in Goa next Saturday.

Owen Coyle fielded a full-strength side with Andre Schembri deemed fit enough to start while there were a couple of surprises in the FC Goa lineup. Two influential players in Hugo Boumous and Brandon Fernandes were ruled out with injuries and in came Manvir Singh and Seiminlen Doungel.

Roared on by a vociferous home crowd, Chennaiyin FC made a positive start to the game, showing plenty of intent. After forcing a couple of early corners, Chennaiyin tested Goa custodian Mohammed Nawaz when he was forced to keep out a header from Lucian Goian from a corner in the fifth minute.

Goa struggled to get a foothold in the game as Chennaiyin continued to press forward, anticipating an early goal. The Gaurs had to wait until the 15th minute to have any kind of joy going forward. Ferran Corominas started the move, before Manvir’s cross fell for Lenny Rodrigues who flashed a shot wide.

Immediately at the other end, after a ball into the Goa box was not cleared properly, Rafael Crivellaro stung Nawaz’s palms with a shot from an angle. Rafael had another chance a couple of minutes later when Edwin Vanspaul was fouled just outside the Goa box. But he could not keep the ensuing free-kick on target.

Though Chennaiyin continued to have the upper hand, the game descended into a midfield slugfest with neither team able to create any chance of note. In the 35th minute, Goa forced Chennaiyin goalkeeper Vishal Kaith into action when they broke at pace. Manvir fed Seriton Fernandes into the box down the right wing and his cross-cum-shot had to be palmed away for a corner by Kaith.

But that odd chance aside, Chennaiyin continued to ask questions of the Goa defence and almost had the lead in the 43rd minute but for the woodwork. Nerijus Valskis curled a low free-kick from the edge of the box past a diving Nawaz but the upright came to Goa’s rescue.

After the restart, Goa had a sniff when Doungel was sent through on goal in the 50th minute. But Laldinliana Renthlei did just enough to shepherd him away from goal.

Four minutes later, Chennaiyin breached the Goan defence after Ahmed Jahouh gave away a free-kick 40 yards from goal. Goa custodian Nawaz came off his line to collect Rafael’s delivery but was beaten to it by Goian who headed into an empty net, much to the delirium of the home crowd.

A stung Goa tried to mount a response and went close twice around the hour mark. Goian had to put in a last-ditch tackle to deny Manvir after giving the ball away himself. Immediately afterwards, Fall headed a corner over from close range.

A minute later, Goa were left stunned when Anirudh Thapa streamed forward at pace on a counter-attack. Though the move broke down, Goa failed to clear the ball and Thapa latched on to the loose ball, made space for himself and curled a delightful effort into the top corner from outside the box.

Understandably, Goa started to get more on the ball and put pressure on the Chennaiyin defence. But the Marina Machans made the most of the spaces Goa started to leave behind and hurt them twice in quick succession.

In the 77th minute, Valskis played a neat one-two with Rafael to get into the box and square a ball across the face of goal. Eli Sabian, running in from centre-back turned it in to make it 3-0. Two minutes later, the stadium exploded when Lallianzuala Chhangte was sent into the box by Rafael after another counter. The winger smashed the ball in past a hapless Nawaz to make it four goals to the good.

However, Goa managed to salvage an away goal in the 85th minute when Saviour Gama made the most of a defensive mix-up to sneak a shot in.